From the moment Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets, the accompanying tagline has been that he’s the richest owner in baseball. That manifested more than ever on the eve of the 2024 winter meetings, as the Mets and superstar outfielder Juan Soto on Sunday night reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal. It is the largest (and longest) deal in MLB history, topping Shohei Ohtani‘s $700 million pact with the Dodgers from last year.
Here’s a look at the top 10 deals ever doled out in MLB, and how those players performed after signing their historic contracts.
(Note: these values are based on data from Spotrac.com)
1. Juan Soto, New York Mets: $765 million over 15 years (reported)
- Soto’s 15-year deal topped Fernando Tatis Jr’s. 14-year extension as the longest in MLB history. He will be 40 years old when the deal is complete.
- Career stats: .285/.421/.532, 201 HRs, 592 RBIs, 769 BBs, 395 XBH, 160 OPS+
- Five-time Silver Slugger, Four-time All-Star
- Three top-five finishes in MVP voting
- 2020 batting champ
- Led MLB in walks three times, on-base percentage twice, slugging once, OPS once
2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: $700 million over 10 years
- After spending the first six seasons of his MLB career with the Angels, Ohtani signed a record-breaking contract in 2023 to remain in Southern California and play for the Dodgers. The deal, which includes $680 million deferred, will end after Ohtani turns 39 years old.
- Stat line after deal (2024): .310/.390/.646/, 54 HRs, 130 RBIs, 99 XBH, 59 SBs
- Career pitching line (did not pitch in 2024): 38-19, 481.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 608 K, 1.082 WHIP
- One of just nine players in MLB history with multiple 40-HR and 20-SB seasons
- Three-time unanimous MVP (only player to win unanimously multiple times)
- Prior to Ohtani, the most homers hit by a player with 10 or more wins as a pitcher was 11 by Babe Ruth in 1918. Ohtani hit 46 in 2021, 34 in 2022 and 44 in 2023.
- Ohtani was the only American League pitcher in 2022 with at least 130 innings pitched to hold opponents to a batting average under .200.
- Four-time All-Star
- Two-time AL MVP (2021, 2023); NL MVP (2024)
- Three-time Silver Slugger
- Fourth in 2022 AL Cy Young voting
3. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: $426.5 million over 12 years
- Trout signed this deal in 2019, and it extends through the 2030 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
- Stat line after extension (2019): .281/.397/.598/.995, 138 HRs, 306 RBIs, 168 OPS+
- Notables since extension:Four-time All-Star2019 AL MVPTwo-time Silver SluggerHas missed 417 out of a possible 870 possible games
- Four-time All-Star
- 2019 AL MVP
- Two-time Silver Slugger
- Has missed 417 out of a possible 870 possible games
4. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers: $365 million over 12 years
- After being traded from the Red Sox in 2020, Betts signed a 12-year extension with an MLB-record $65 million signing bonus. Betts helped deliver a World Series title that very year.
- Stat line after extension (2021): .288/.373/.527/, 116 HRs, 322 RBIs, 145 OPS+
- Notables since extension:Three-time All-StarFinished top-five in MVP voting twice2022 Gold GloveTwo-time Silver Slugger
- Three-time All-Star
- Finished top-five in MVP voting twice
- 2022 Gold Glove
- Two-time Silver Slugger
5. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: $360 million over nine years
- Before 2022, Judge bet on himself. Then the slugger made history and slugged an AL-record 62 homers and secured his $360 million deal. The deal will take him through the 2031 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
- Stat line after deal (2023): .300/.438/.666/, 95 HRs, 219 RBIs, 204 OPS+
- Notables since extension:2024 AL MVPTwo-time All-Star223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
- 2024 AL MVP
- Two-time All-Star
- 223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
6. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres: $350 million over 11 years
- After signing a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in 2019 free agency, Machado re-upped with San Diego for a jaw-dropping $350 million. Machado will be 43 years old by the time the last year of the deal arrives.
- Stat line after extension (2023): .267/.322/.467/, 59 HRs, 196 RBIs, 116 OPS+
- Notables since extension:Silver Slugger
- Silver Slugger
7. Francisco Lindor, New York Met: $341 million over 10 years
- Lindor was the face of the Cleveland franchise but was traded to the Mets and agreed to an extension with the team in 2021. The deal is through the 2031 season, but his contract is set up with $50 million in deferred money due to him in $5 million annual payments from 2032 to 2041.
- Stat line after extension (2021): .259/.336/.461/, 110 HRs, 359 RBIs, 86 SBs 122 OPS+
- Notables since extension:2024 MVP runner-upTwo-time Silver Slugger
- 2024 MVP runner-up
- Two-time Silver Slugger
8. Fernando Tatis Jr, San Diego Padres: $340 million over 14 years
- Tatis Jr. inked his contract when he was just 22 years old in 2021. The deal, which is far from the only long-term commitment on the San Diego books, will take him through the 2034 season, at which point he will be 35.
- Stat line after extension (2021): .271/.341/.514/, 88 HRs, 224 RBIs, 65 SBs 134 OPS+
- Suspended for 80 games for use of performance-enhancing drugs in August 2022
- Notables since extension:Two-time All-StarOne-time Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
- Two-time All-Star
- One-time Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
9. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies: $330 million for 13 years
- After playing with the Nationals for his whole career, Harper left for the division-rival Phillies in 2019. His 13-year deal is the longest given to a free agent, and at the time it was signed, the contract was the largest in MLB history.
- Stat line after deal (2019): .285/.391/.533/, 152 HRs, 455 RBIs, 149 OPS+
- Notables since extension:2021 NL MVP2022 NLCS MVPTwo-time All-StarThree-time Silver Slugger
- 2021 NL MVP
- 2022 NLCS MVP
- Two-time All-Star
- Three-time Silver Slugger
T-10. Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins/New York Yankees: $325 million over 13 years:
- In 2014, Stanton capitalized on his stardom by signing the then-richest deal in MLB history. That deal expires after the 2027 season. Stanton was traded to the Yankees just three seasons after he signed the monster extension.
- Stat line after extension (2015): .249/.334/.516/, 275 HRs, 704 RBIs, 131 OPS+
- Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2017 MVP2022 All-Star Game MVP2017 Silver Slugger
- Three-time All-Star
- 2017 MVP
- 2022 All-Star Game MVP
- 2017 Silver Slugger
T-10. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers: $325 million over 10 years
- Seager had become a playoff hero even before signing with the Rangers prior to the 2022 season. The shortstop’s deal, which now looks very much worth it, ends in 2031 when he will be 37.
- Stat line after deal (2022): .280/.350/.524, 96 HRs, 253 RBIs, 143 OPS+
- Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2023 World Series MVP2023 MVP runner-up2023 Silver Slugger
- Three-time All-Star
- 2023 World Series MVP
- 2023 MVP runner-up
- 2023 Silver Slugger
T-10. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers: $325 million over 12 years
- Yamamoto signed the largest contract of any pitcher in MLB history, narrowly eclipsing Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million pact with the Yankees.
- At 25 years old, he was posted by the Orix Buffaloes last winter following one of the most dominant stretches in Japanese baseball history. He was a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player and has a lifetime ERA of 1.82.
- Stat line after deal (2024): 7-2, 90 IP, 3.00 ERA, 105 K, 1.111 WHIP
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