Contracts 20-12 aren’t a joke, but the big boys are in the top 10. These contracts belong to the athletes who can hit a baseball like very few others can.
#10 Tied
Robinson Cano and Albert Pujols both received 10-year contracts worth $240 million. Pujols received his in 2012 and Cano received his in 2014. Pujols is a 10-time All-Star. He will be 41 when he retires from playing, but the Angels have him for another 10 years on a personal-services contract where he will work with the front office or in the clubhouse. There is no doubt that Pujols will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as soon as he can be put on the ballot.
Cano’s journey has had bumps along the way. He’s an eight-time All-Star but has had issues with PEDs. His big deal came from the Seattle Mariners, but in their effort to rebuild, he was traded to the New York Mets. Both men have AAVs of $24 million.
#9
The Tigers show up several times on this list due to their former owner’s penchant for big spending. Miguel Cabrera was signed to an eight-year deal to lock him down as a Tiger for life. His contract runs from 2016 to 2023 and is for $247 million. His AAV is $31 million. The Triple Crown winner, two-time MVP, and 11-time All-Star has been worth every penny.
#8
This next player shows up twice as two teams wanted to pay him big bucks. Alex Rodriguez set the standard for massive contracts when he first joined the Texas Rangers. They signed him to a 10-year contract from 2001-2010. He earned $252 million. He remained with the Rangers for three seasons before the Yankees decided they needed him.
#7
For a very short amount of time this off-season, this contract set the record for a position player and AAV. Nolan Arenado falls into this position with his eight-year contract for $260 million. His AAV was a record-setting $32.5 million. If you’ve been watching the Rockies during Spring Training, it’s been easy to see that Arenado is living up to the deal. In 19 games he’s hitting a slash of .392/.436/.745. He went 3-3 with two doubles off Jon Lester in Friday’s game against the Cubs.
#6
This ranking belongs to Alex Rodriguez, too. He signed a second 10-year deal with the Yankees after his first one ran out. They signed him a record-setting $275 million for 10 years. After all of his multiple troubles with PEDs and arguments with the front office, he was released from the contract in 2016. Despite his 14 All-Star invitations and his three MVP awards, it’s unlikely he will be voted into the Hall of Fame.