Listing the 25 most overpaid MLB players in 2023, from future Hall of Famers to surprise names
By Bill Felber
18. Martin Perez, starting pitcher, Texas Rangers
Yes, two-fifths of the Rangers rotation makes the list of most overpaid.
Playing on a one-year, $4 million ‘prove it’ contract with the Rangers in 2022, Perez went 12-8 with a 2.89 ERA, hit the open market and re-signed with Texas for one more season, this time cashing in to the tune of $19.65 million.
In some respects, Perez has been fortunate. He’s carrying an 8-3 record through 19 starts and his lineup is supporting Perez to the tune of more than seven runs per game.
That run support, however, is masking an ordinary effort on the part of Perez, who sits at a 4.91 ERA through those 19 starts. That’s nearly a half point above his career average.
Among 128 qualified pitchers, Perez ranks 20th in salary but tied for 112th in production with a -0.4 WAR.
Like Abreu, that negative WAR means not only has Perez failed to earn any of his $19.5 million salary, but from a contribution standpoint he’s in debt to the Rangers to the tune of $3.861 million.
Combine that $3.861 million with what he’s actually earning and it works out that Perez is being overpaid in the amount of $23.511 million this season.