3 Yankees stealing money from the team thanks to bad contracts

Oct 23, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson (28) reacts after striking out in the third inning against the Houston Astros during game four of the ALCS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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Sep 16, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (21) reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Giancarlo Stanton is not an MVP type of player anymore, but is making MVP money on the Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton is still one of the most feared hitters in the game today. He ranked in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity, the 100th percentile in max exit velocity, and the 98th percentile in hard-hit rate according to baseball savant. Stanton can hit a ball 500 feet seemingly in his sleep but has had trouble making enough contact to truly make pitchers pay for pitching to him.

Stanton struck out 137 times in just 110 games. He fanned at a 30.3% clip, a mark that’s simply too high.

31 home runs, a 113 OPS+ and a .759 OPS isn’t bad by any means, but it isn’t exactly what the Yankees were expecting when they made this trade. Stanton has been pinned almost exclusively to the DH position (although that might change in 2023), so he’s given them no value in the field.

Stanton has also struggled just staying healthy. He played in 158 games in his first season with the Yanks but hasn’t played more than 139 since. He played in just 41 games in 2019-20 combined.

Stanton was traded from the Marlins to the Yankees after his MVP year for a package that was very light because the Yankees agreed to pay most of his contract. They can afford it, they’re the Yankees, but Stanton is making $32 million this season and for each of the following two seasons. After the 2025 season, the number drops to $29 million in 2026, $25 million in 2027, and a $25 million club option in 2028. Miami is taking on some of that money.

The Yankees are not paying Stanton $32 million for him to put up 1.2 fWAR as he did in 2022. He’s still a good hitter, but his inability to stay healthy, the strikeouts, and the fact that he’s almost exclusively been a DH hurts his value tremendously.

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