8 largest contracts in MLB history

Major League Baseball is where the money is at. Some of the biggest contracts in all of sports have been signed in baseball in recent years. Superstars are not only getting job security throughout long, multi-year contracts, but they are absolutely breaking the bank with deals pushing a billion dollars in total. These days, even untested prospects are receiving lengthy megadeals. Here are the eight largest contracts in MLB history.

8. Francisco Lindor, SS: 10 years, $341 million

Not long after being traded from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Mets, Francisco Lindor inked a 10-year contract worth $341 million. As will be evident with another player on this list, the Mets are willing to invest heavily in superstar players before ensuring the team fit is there.

The Puerto Rican shortstop did struggle in the first half of the season after signing his megadeal, but he has since reestablished himself as one of the best players at the most premier position in baseball. Lindor has been top-10 in National League MVP voting during every season he has played with the Mets. He is somewhat of a slow starter, though, as he only has one All-Star nod during the five-plus seasons he’s spent in the Big Apple. During said All-Star campaign last season, Lindor led the entire NL in plate appearances, proving the Mets are trying to get the best bang for their pricy buck.

7. Manny Machado, 3B: 11 years, $350 million

A divisive third baseman, Manny Machado, started his career with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers as a talented but brash player. He was not only known for making big plays, but also for talking trash and occasionally playing dirty.

Once his reputation was cleaned up with the San Diego Padres, he was rewarded with an 11-year contract. Machado signed a $350 million deal in 2023 despite already being in his 30s. Machado is still regarded as one of the best fielders in baseball at the hot corner. He has killer arm strength that allows him to make some highlight throws. With 374 career home runs, the bat is more than impressive, too.

6. Aaron Judge, RF: Nine years, $360 million

Aaron Judge is quickly becoming one of the best players in MLB history, so it is somewhat surprising that he doesn’t rank higher than sixth for having the biggest contract ever. Save your tears, though, as the New York Yankees star is doing just fine with the $40 million he makes every season.

Judge combines power with patience and contact unlike anybody else. He has led the AL in home runs three times, including in 2022, when he smashed 62 shots over the outfield wall to break the AL record for single-season homers. Judge has also been the league’s leader in walks four times, on-base percentage three times, and his .331 batting average last season was the best mark in all of baseball. Judge is an intimidating presence at the plate. Pitchers throw around him to avoid giving up home runs, but Judge can put the ball into play anywhere on the diamond. Of the eight largest MLB contracts ever, Judge’s deal is the only one that doesn’t span a decade-plus.

5. Mookie Betts, SS: 12 years, $365 million

Mookie Betts was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. That deal ended up being one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. Not long after, Betts agreed to a 12-year contract totalling $365 million. At the time, Betts was playing right field at an elite level. He has since converted to full-time shortstop duties.

Betts versatility is part of the reason he is worth every penny. The Dodgers have formed a dynasty since his arrival. Three of Betts’ four World Series titles come in Los Angeles, including over each of the last two seasons. The six-time Gold Glover and seven-time Silver Slugger has regressed a tad in recent years, but he still understands how to contribute to a winning brand of baseball. In recent years, the Dodgers have shown an unprecedented willingness to spend big, which has resulted in one of the most stacked rosters in MLB history. It really all started with the team handing Betts one of the largest contracts in MLB history.

4. Mike Trout, CF: 12 years, $426,500,000

Before the 2019 season, Mike Trout was in the midst of one of the greatest stretches in baseball history. He’d been top four in MVP voting in seven of what would become eight straight years, so the Los Angeles Angels gave him a $426,500,000 contract over 12 seasons. At the time, it was the biggest contract in North American sports history. After signing the contract, Trout won his third MVP and was well established as one of the best MLB players ever by age 28.

He could have become even more, but injuries haven’t been kind to the five-tool center fielder in the years since. The 2019 season was the last time Trout was top-four in MVP voting, and he has only surpassed the 100-game threshold twice in the six seasons leading up to this year. With Trout’s deal not expiring until after the 2030 season, it can be argued that Trout hasn’t lived up to his big payday, although at no fault of his own. The Angels certainly can’t be blamed for spending big on him when they did, either.

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B: 14 years, $500 million

The most recent player to secure a huge payday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., signed a $500 million deal in 2025. The contract spans over 14 years, which is the longest of any of the deals on this list. So far, the deal has paid off for the Toronto Blue Jays. The first baseman immediately stepped up after getting paid, as he helped turn Toronto from the last-placed team in the AL East to a team that played in the 2025 World Series.

While Guerrero has plenty of home run power, he isn’t your average slugger. That is evidenced by the fact that he is batting .331 through 35 games during the 2026 season. Blue Jays fans can expect to see the same face leading the franchise for a long time to come.

2. Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP: 10 years, $700 million

Shohei Ohtani’s skill set is unprecedented, so it makes sense that his contract was so when it was signed, too. The Japanese star is a two-way player who is both one of the best batters and one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 2023, he signed a $700 million deal that was the largest in professional sports history at the time.

It made sense for the Dodgers to invest so much into him. Not only did they have to pluck him away from the team down the road, but he was to lead them in revolutionary fashion as a two-way player. So far, it has paid off, as Ohtani has done nothing but win MVPs and World Series titles with the Dodgers. He is now a four-time MVP and four-time Silver Slugger who has even finished top five in Cy Young voting before.

1. Juan Soto, RF: 15 years, $765 million

The biggest contract in MLB history is also the largest deal in professional sports history. Juan Soto is locked up with the New York Mets for 15 years at the price of $765 million. The craziest part is that Soto received such a lengthy contract from the fourth team that he has played for, but that just goes to show how much he accomplished at such a young age.

Soto won a World Series at age 21. His plate discipline is truly spectacular, as he has led the league in walks four separate times. When Soto swings away, it often leads to a home run. Amazingly, Soto doesn’t have an MVP trophy to call his own, but that is just a product of playing at the same time as Judge and Ohtani. There is no doubt that Soto is one of the best players in MLB. His huge contract certainly is jaw-dropping, though.

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