Fansided

15 most expensive contracts in MLB history and how they turned out

By Michael Fisher

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Xander Bogaerts, Padres
Xander Bogaerts, Padres (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) /

14. MLB contracts: Xander Bogaerts, SDP – $280M/11 years

After much drama, Xander Bogaerts left Boston this winter for the warmer and more welcoming climes of San Diego, signing an 11-year, $280M deal.

Somehow, the Red Sox didn’t give Bogaerts this contract. Instead, the only team the 10-year veteran had played for lowballed him and botched the entire process. So the Padres swooped in and gave the 30-year-old shortstop a deal he couldn’t refuse.

Bogaerts is going from one of the best-hitting environments in Fenway Park to one of the worst in Petco Park, per Statcast Park Factors. However, the four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion shouldn’t have much of a problem keeping up his productivity, especially with the potent lineup around him.

A lifetime .292 hitter, Bogaerts has proven his durability over his career. He’s managed to avoid injury and gave the Red Sox full value during his time there, playing in an average of 148 games each season (not counting his brief 2013 debut and the shortened 2020 season). If he stays healthy into his 30s, the Padres will be happy with the return he provides.

However, with the Padres now owning the fourth-highest payroll at over $223M, the success of Bogaerts’ contract, in conjunction with the other massive deals they’ve made, will ultimately come down to whether it results in a World Series title.

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