The New Money Map: MLB’s Biggest Contracts and What They Really Cost
This article treats MLB’s biggest contracts like more than headline totals. Extensions now compete with free agency, and deferrals can turn a screaming number into a softer competitive balance tax reality. In 2026, that creates a sharper question: who owns the mountain, the headline king or the value king.
The top ten shows how quickly the ceiling rose. Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Francisco Lindor sit in the low 300 million range, then the ladder climbs through Manny Machado, Aaron Judge, and Mookie Betts. Mike Trout’s 426.5 million deal once defined the tier, then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pushed the sport into a new half billion level with a 14 year extension announced in April 2025.
The top two explain the new era. Shohei Ohtani’s 700 million includes 680 million deferred, dropping the tax value to about 460 million. Juan Soto’s 15 year 765 million deal has no deferrals, includes a full no trade clause, and an opt out after five seasons. The contrast is the point, structure now reshapes history.
Richest contracts in MLB history in 2026, ranked from Soto to Ohtani, with deferral math, luxury tax impact, and roster ripple effects.