When the New York Yankees acquired Giancarlo Stanton, the signing was hailed as a game-changing acquisition in Major League Baseball. At the time, Stanton was considered one of the most formidable hitters in the game, fresh off an MVP season that cemented his status among the elite.
Throughout his career, Stanton has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments: five All-Star appearances, one MVP award and two Silver Slugger awards. With 422 home runs under his belt, he is on track to one day be inducted into the Hall of Fame, especially if he reaches the coveted 500-homer milestone.
Stanton’s time with the Yankees, however, has been plagued by injuries and performances that have often failed to live up to the lofty expectations associated with his massive contract. The $325 million deal he signed demands not just excellence, but extraordinary play, especially given the large portion of the team’s payroll devoted to him.
The gap between Stanton’s demonstrated potential and his actual performance with the Yankees has been a source of frustration for both the organization and its fans. While his ability is unquestionable, his recurring health problems and inconsistent performance have made it difficult for him to fully fulfill the terms of his significant contract.
This scenario highlights the high-risk, high-reward nature of mega-contracts in professional sports, where substantial financial commitments come with enormous pressure to perform. Stanton’s situation with the Yankees serves as a reminder of the challenges teams face when relying on even the most talented players to consistently deliver value equivalent to their salaries.
Giancarlo Stanton has been included in he “all overpaid” team from Bleacher Report MLB’s Kerry Miller, highlighting the disparity between Stanton’s performance and the massive contract he has.
Miller notes that while Stanton’s recent stats may seem respectable given the Yankees’ overall offensive struggles, they don’t live up to expectations for a player of his stature and salary. Stanton’s .241 batting average, 20 home runs and .780 OPS stand out largely because the Yankees’ lineup has struggled, and its performance over the past two seasons has been disappointing.
Despite these criticisms, Miller acknowledges Stanton’s significant impact when he’s on his game. The Yankees boast an impressive 36-8 record in games in which Stanton contributes a run or drives in a run. Moreover, during Stanton’s five-week absence due to a hamstring injury, the team went 10-18, underscoring his importance.
A deeper look at Stanton’s time with the Yankees reveals that health, rather than talent, has been his main obstacle. When he has been able to stay on the field, Stanton has proven his worth, especially in high-stakes moments. His postseason performance with the Yankees is especially notable, as he has hit .260 with a .327 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage. Stanton has hit 11 home runs and driven in 24 runs in just 96 playoff games, demonstrating his ability to shine under pressure.
Four more Yankees land on the roster of all the overpaid players
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The list of highest-paid players includes five players currently with the Yankees. It lists Anthony Rizzo ($17M, -0.6 bWAR) as the runner-up for the first base job. Miller writes: “Rizzo might have been the pick anyway, as he was having the worst season of his career before missing the final two months with a broken arm. His 2024 OPS (.630) is nearly 200 points below where it was when he signed his two-year, $40 million extension during the 2022-23 offseason.”
Fb-NYY
Unsurprisingly, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres leads the pack of overpaid players in his category. The Yankees paid $14.2 million for 0.0 bWAR. “Last season, Torres was basically the only hitter the Yankees could count on,” Miller says. “But he’s become perhaps the weakest link in a lineup that has a ton of weak links beyond Judge and Juan Soto. After hitting at least 24 homers in four of his first six major league seasons, Torres didn’t hit his first one this season until his 33rd game. And that’s no big deal, since he’s about to finish the season with about 14 and recently snapped a streak of 15 consecutive games without hitting an extra-base hit.”
The overpaying team has Yankees DJ LeMahieu ($15M, -1.4 bWAR) at the second third base position. He lists why: “LeMahieu missed the first two months of the season with a broken foot, further accelerating what was already a rapid decline. He had a .922 OPS in his first two seasons (2019-20) with the Yankees, finishing in the top four in AL MVP voting each year. From 2021-23, though, that mark hovered around .720. And now it’s down to .522, with two more years left on his contract, no less.”
Gerrit Cole overpaid? Overachievement or misanalysis?
Miller also included Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the tea of all overpaid pitchers. At $36M and 0.9 bWAR, he ranked fifth among overpaid starting pitchers. According to him, “At 83% of what Verlander or Scherzer cost, Cole hasn’t actively hurt the Yankees by underperforming, but it certainly hasn’t been a vintage or injury-free year for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.” Cole just made his 10th start of the season on Friday and has a 4.15 ERA.”
At this juncture, the Yankees’ regular-season performance is largely academic, given their seemingly assured path to the playoffs. The real intrigue, however, may unfold once the season concludes.
Cole’s contract situation presents an irresistible dilemma for both player and organization. His current deal includes an opt-out after this season, allowing him to opt out of the remaining four years and $144 million. Should he choose this route, the Yankees can counter by sweetening the deal with an additional $36 million, which would transform the deal into a decade-long commitment worth $360 million.
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Preseason expectations suggested this scenario was all but guaranteed, with both sides eager to extend their partnership through 2029. However, Cole’s recent struggles have muddied the waters. If his performance doesn’t pick up in the coming weeks, Cole’s decision to retire could be met with unexpected acquiescence from the Yankees’ front office.
Such a move would free up significant financial resources, which could be redirected toward an aggressive pursuit of Juan Soto in free agency. This unexpected turn could reshape the Yankees’ strategy from retaining their ace to acquiring a generational hitter.
Ex-Yankees also on the team of the overpaid
Former Yankees-Chicago White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi is having a tough season despite his $17.1 million salary. His performance has translated into a negative 1.7 bWAR. Despite his recent surge in power, Benintendi’s batting average is still disappointingly low at .214. The White Sox signed him to a five-year, $75 million contract following his All-Star season with a .304 batting average. He had previously hit .279 for his career and won a Gold Glove in 2021. However, his current contract is now seen as a significant burden for a team that could be facing a record-breaking losing season.
AP Photo/Rick Scooteri
Former Yankees pitcher Jordan Montgomery, now the fourth starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, is struggling to justify his $25 million salary with a negative 1.3 bWAR. Unlike other free agents who signed similar short-term, high-value contracts with player options, Montgomery has significantly underperformed. His 6.25 ERA in 18 starts and inconsistent performance contrast with the success of players like Matt Chapman and Blake Snell. Despite being the highest-paid player on the team, Montgomery’s spot on the postseason roster may be in jeopardy if the Diamondbacks qualify, especially given the team’s history of parting ways with high-profile, underperforming pitchers.
Controversial former Yankees star Aroldis Chapman, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a reliever, is making $10.5 million with 0.5 bWAR. His season started poorly, with a high walk rate and a 5.92 FIP in his first 19.1 innings pitched. Since the end of May, however, Chapman has shown significant improvement. His FIP has dropped to 2.19, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio has more than doubled. This change has made him an interesting player as the trade deadline approaches, which could eliminate him from this list if he had maintained this level of performance throughout the season.
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