MLB: Top 4 Players Entering Huge Contract Years

4. Johnny Cueto

The reason Johnny Cueto ranks only fourth on this list is the fact that 2017 may not necessarily be a contract year. Cueto is entering a year that is identical to that of Greinke, he can opt out of his contract if he wants to. Heading into 2016, Cueto signed a 6 year, $130 million dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants. Apparently, Cueto values himself as worth more than this amount, as included in the contract is the opt out clause after only two seasons. If Cueto were to opt out, he would be leaving behind over $87 million dollars in guaranteed money.

It is not crazy to think that Cueto has yet another stellar season, only increasing is worth yet again. If Cueto does manage to craft together another work of art, he has the potential to be one of the highest paid pitchers in baseball, despite how wise or unwise that may be. Fangraphs projects Cueto to have a dip in numbers, resulting in a season that is nearly identical to that in 2015. The predictions are that Cueto will have a 13-11 record, 3.19 ERA, and a 4.2 WAR. While the stat selection is slim, compare that to 2015 where Cueto had a 11-13 record, 3.44 ERA, and a 4.1 WAR. That projected Cueto is not much better than the Cueto that signed the contract, so it may be wise to remain in his current deal with a team that’s ready to win.

However, after a great 2016 where his WAR jumped to 5.5 and his ERA dipped to 2.79, it isn’t absurd to think that Cueto can do better than he did in 2015. Don’t expect him to have another insane season, although possible, instead he will likely have an in-between year. I would expect a 5.0 WAR, sub 3.00 ERA, and a big pay-day for Johnny Cueto.