Top 10 Worst MLB Contracts Entering the 2025 Season

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Most MLB teams have at least a few contracts they would love to shed from their books, as injuries, decline in production and ill-advised spending in the first place can all hamstring a team's spending abilities.

With the 2024 MLB postseason in full swing and the offseason fast approaching, let's take a look ahead to the worst contract on the books for each team in 2025.

Only players with guaranteed contracts are up for consideration, since arbitration-eligible players can simply be non-tendered with no further financial commitment. Retired players still on the books by way of deferred money from their playing days were eligible to be included.

How would your favorite team use a payroll mulligan in 2025?

Top 10 Worst MLB Contracts Entering the 2025 Season

[BigPat]

Nothing about the Bryant signing ever made sense. The team. The years. His position on the field. Nothing.

[Krysdavar]

Taijuan Walker still has 2 years left on his contract. At 18M per year. Phillies fans do not want him to pitch for the Phillies again. Yet they can't get rid of his contract.

[gamerdadperspective]

Jacob deGrom 5 yrs 185 mil in 2023. 3 years left and he played 9 games and 41 total innings in 2 years with Texas. Nimmo will be worth the money with his hustle grit and hard play.

[MrWonders]

Just a heads up you repeated the “Xander needs to be a productive player for next 4-5 years for this contract not to be an albatross”

[PaintTheBlackBaseball]

Appreciate anyone seeing this! I had to take an extended break due to life and family issues! But I’m back stronger than ever ready to give you all new content going forward so thanks for being patient and fucking with me!

[Deebosamuel]

Nimmo’s babip was 60 pts below his usual career norms. His BB rate and K rates were right around career norms, the only thing that changed was his babip. If anybody is a big bounce back candidate, it’s Nimmo.

[TheOneAndOnlyMan]

Good list! Just some thoughts, Brandon Nimmo, Jung Hoo Lee and Mike Trout shouldn’t be on this list. Yes, Nimmo had a bad season. But he’s been pretty good in years before. Jung Hoo Lee you cannot judge just yet. He was injured this year, yes, but in Japan he was one of the leagues best players, it’s just that the wrong thing happened at the wrong time. Trout should not be on this list. Yes, he’s never not been injured in a season since 2020 (except 2022 where he played about 140 games). But it’s undeniable that when he is on the field, he’s top 5 in the league. Yes, availability is the best ability, but you cannot deny what he’s shown when he’s been on the field; 2022 is a good example of this. Additionally, he was the best player in the 2010’s era of baseball. Even though its expected that he will decline as he gets older, no one could’ve predicted how bad the injury bug got to him, especially since he was an iron man for his first 7 ish years in the show. Finally, I don’t think bogearts should be that high on the list. Yes, it was a massive overpay, but not 2nd worst contract in baseball overpay. He’s also one of those players who plays bad in the first half, and great in the second half, similar to J-Rod. Again, not getting on you about it, these are just my opinions. I think your stuff is great; you’ve earned my sub.

Edit: Praying for you and your family.

[sojc]

That’s why the Dodgers do not believe signing a player long term because of that very possibilty that he might decline throughout that long contractual years but of course they have a few exceptions in the likes of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and a Shohei Ohtani!!💯🙏💙

[weasel_in_a_tophat]

I have a feeling Trea Turner could be on this list next year. He still has 9 years/$270M remaining on his contract, his fielding is declining, he's inconsistent at the plate, and his speed will certainly start dropping soon. I don't know if he'll be a good player 2 seasons from now let alone 9

[pandemic]

I’d probably go with Bogaerts at number 1.
Nine.
More.
Years…wow!

[slyjeans]

Xander is the reason padres are broke as a dodger fan i so happy 😂😂

[CuppaJoey]

Calling Nimmo a bad contract after 1 down season in which he was injured is crazy

[crawjo]

The worst contracts are not when you pay a legitimately great player too much for the second half of his career, and especially not when you get them for their prime as well. In other words, Mike Trout's name should be nowhere close to this list. The truly bad contracts are when you pay a player far more than they were ever really worth, and don't even have a retired number or a future Hall of Fame plaque to show for it. Think Chris Davis type contracts.

[justintaylor]

I’m not a fan of Andres Gimenez’s contract in Cleveland. I’d really like to get more offense from him.

Also let me say this one thing: no team should be expected to sign any player to a contract longer than 5 years. Signing a player in his 30’s to a deal that is 7+years is ridiculous. I hate the owners and I DEFINITELY hate my owner because the Guardians are so cheap, but anything over 5 years is just absolutely ridiculous.

[nunzi]

Man. You blew it when you put Brandon nimmo on this list right after talking about Rendon.

[Charlie-slou]

Nimmo was dealing with injuries that he played through, and Lee was never supposed to be a power hitter, more of an on base guy, I think those guys will be fine, I’d honestly throw in Rodon and Stanton, those contracts still don’t sit right with me.

[JeffStonge-rivq]

I'm going to REMEMBER Trevor Story as a TERRIBLE Story.

[davidkelty]

Xander was never good enough for the contract he received 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ a lot of people don’t realize that Fenway is the 2nd or 3rd best park for hitters (especially right handed hitters), so Xander really benefited from that. Petco is a pitcher friendly park and Xander has always been a poor defender 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[khale]

Soto contract will be the worst ever. His performance will drop like Stanton. Can’t play defense and falsified-age.

[wraynephew]

The Angels still owe Mike Trout close to 210 million. Angels would have to find a team, Trout will agree to be traded to, and the Angels would have to eat no less than 100, 000, 000 of Trout's contract.
There is only two teams I can see who will do this. Yankees, and Dodgers