Who’s in line for baseball’s next mega-contract?
With Giancarlo Stanton set to ink a record-breaking 13-year, $325 million contract extension with the Miami Marlins, it’s only logical to wonder two things.
1. Can Stanton ultimately live up to the deal?
2. Who’s in line for baseball’s next mega, perhaps even recording-breaking, contract?
The first question will take many years to answer. Stanton also has an opportunity to opt-out following the 2019 season if he feels his value has increased, or just as likely if he doesn’t like the direction of the franchise. Until then, we’re really just talking about a six-year deal, but the record money attached is eye-opening.
The second question might take awhile to sort out as well, though with Stanton now crossing the $300 million mark, agents everywhere are no doubt taking notes as they wildly punch numbers into their calculators. Looking around the baseball landscape though, you’ll find that many of the players in or around Stanton’s age and skill level are already locked in to long term deals at an amount notably less than Stanton’s guaranteed total.
In January, National League Cy Young and MVP Clayton Kershaw got paid, inking a monster seven-year, $215 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That’s a lot of money, obviously. In fact, he became baseball’s first player to earn $30 million annually, but it didn’t exceed $300 million mark like many were expecting.
The other MVP, Mike Trout, signed a six-year, $144.5 million extension with the Los Angeles Angels in March. A relative bargain given his advanced skills, though still nearly equal to Stanton’s $25 million annual salary. At 24, the good news for Trout is that he’ll likely cash in again when he’s 30, and perhaps by then we’ll be talking $400 million.
It won’t be them, and it won’t be someone from this year’s free-agent class. Though filled with big names, this class doesn’t compare to 2013’s and it certainly doesn’t boast a $300 million player. Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan has right-hander Max Scherzer rated No. 1 in his Ultimate Free-Agent Tracker. At age 30, Scherzer is seeking a $200 million deal that in its own right may be difficult to find.
That leaves us looking toward the future to seek out our next potential record-breaker. The list of realistic options is a short one, but some interesting names do appear. Especially out east. Here’s a quick look at some of the possibilities.
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In his often unique way, agent Scott Boras made it clear immediately after Mike Trout inked his deal that his client, Bryce Harper, is of equal or greater value to Trout, and will therefore be paid as such. Whether the template now changes to Stanton’s deal is the question. Harper, who just turned 22 in October, has the elite skill set that matches up with a mega-deal.
With three big-league seasons already under his belt, Harper is a .272/.351.465 hitter with 55 home runs and 149 RBIs. He’s also played in nine postseason games, giving him valuable early experience. His biggest issue has been staying healthy. He’s missed 106 games over the past two seasons, and as a result hasn’t had a true breakout season yet. With Harper in the final season of a five-year, $9.9 million deal, Boras will hope it happens this season. If not, he might be willing to go season-to-season in arbitration.
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Would Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria be willing to break the bank again for their 21-year-old right-hander, who happens to be coming off Tommy John surgery? Highly unlikely. However, if Fernandez proves healthy and down the road is traded, he immediately moves into this conversation. As a 20-year-old, Fernandez was an All-Star, won Rookie of the Year and finished third in the Cy Young voting after posting a 2.19 ERA in 172.2 innings. That says all you need to know about his ability and potential. Now it’s up to his body to bounce back strong.
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Locked into a team-friendly six-year, $35.56 million deal that includes two team options, it’s possible Bumgarner won’t get paid again until 2019. If any one player earned a new extension this season though, partcularly in the postseason, it’s Bumgarner. It’s just difficult to envision San Francisco going that high when it doesn’t really have to. He’s a worthy long shot.
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Sale is another name that comes to mind, but he’s essentially in the same boat as Bumgarner. He has three years left on a five-year, $32 million deal with two team options that could extend him to 2019. A trade out of Chicago would be necessary to change his outlook.
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He hasn’t even debuted yet, but he’s coming and he’s bringing 52 career minor league homers (in 138 games) with him. At 22, Bryant projects as a can’t-miss offensive talent who can play all the corner positions if needed. He figures to be the cornerstone of the Cubs rebuild, and should all go as planned he will make a ton of money quickly.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
