Mark Buehrle: 4 years, $58 million
There was plenty of blame to go around for how 2012 turned out for the Miami Marlins. However, you’d be hard pressed to place any of it on Mark Buehrle‘s shoulders.
Buehrle’s first, and only, year in Miami was every bit as good as the Marlins had a right to expect. He led the team in total innings, wins, WHIP, and was the only Marlins starting pitcher without a losing record that season. By WAR standards, he was the team’s third-most valuable player, just getting edged out by Johnson.
Dollar for dollar, this is the clearest comp for the Alcantara deal, with only $2 million worth of difference between them.
Unfortunately, when ownership’s grand plan didn’t work, Buehrle quickly became a luxury Miami couldn’t afford. He shared the same fate as Johnson, leaving town in the same blockbuster trade with Toronto. Fortunately for Buehrle, and the Blue Jays, he still had 600 quality innings in him before calling it a career three years later.
Verdict: Honestly, this was a good contract. The takeaway here is that a lot else has to go right for a low payroll team to keep somebody like Alcantara around. If the offense doesn’t take a major leap forward, expect to see Alcantara producing for someone else as soon as 2023.
If only the next name on the list ever allowed the Miami Marlins that opportunity.