Worst MLB contracts, 2026
Costs more than the play it buys. Moving one takes a sweetener: a pick or a prospect. 73 players are under water; the 50 worst here.
Updated November 6, 2026.
| # | Player | Team | Cap hit | Yrs | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xander Bogaerts SS, 34 |  San Diego Padres | $25.00M | 7 | −$33.9M |
| 2 | Trea Turner SS, 33 |  Philadelphia Phillies | $27.27M | 7 | −$33.4M |
| 3 | Manny Machado 3B, 34 | San Diego Padres | $27.73M | 7 | −$32.0M |
| 4 | Carlos Correa SS, 32 |  Houston Astros | $29.84M | 6 | −$28.6M |
| 5 | Austin Riley 3B, 29 |  Atlanta Braves | $21.20M | 7 | −$21.2M |
| 6 | Anthony Santander DH, 31 |  Toronto Blue Jays | $12.81M | 4 | −$19.9M |
| 7 | Corbin Burnes SP, 32 |  Arizona Diamondbacks | $33.04M | 4 | −$19.8M |
| 8 | Kyle Schwarber DH, 33 | Philadelphia Phillies | $27.00M | 4 | −$18.9M |
| 9 | Matt Chapman 3B, 33 |  San Francisco Giants | $25.00M | 4 | −$18.8M |
| 10 | Mike Trout CF, 35 |  Los Angeles Angels | $33.88M | 4 | −$18.1M |
| 11 | Willy Adames SS, 31 | San Francisco Giants | $22.86M | 5 | −$18.1M |
| 12 | Brandon Nimmo RF, 33 |  Texas Rangers | $20.00M | 4 | −$17.8M |
| 13 | Jose Altuve 2B, 36 | Houston Astros | $22.00M | 3 | −$14.9M |
| 14 | Cody Bellinger LF, 31 |  New York Yankees | $34.75M | 4 | −$14.2M |
| 15 | Kyle Tucker RF, 29 |  Los Angeles Dodgers | $46.53M | 3 | −$10.8M |
| 16 | Bryce Harper 1B, 34 | Philadelphia Phillies | $23.85M | 5 | −$10.7M |
| 17 | Rafael Devers 1B, 30 | San Francisco Giants | $27.66M | 7 | −$10.4M |
| 18 | Trevor Story SS, 33 |  Boston Red Sox | $23.33M | 2 | −$10.0M |
| 19 | José Berríos SP, 32 | Toronto Blue Jays | $18.00M | 2 | −$10.0M |
| 20 | Kris Bryant DH, 34 |  Colorado Rockies | $25.00M | 2 | −$10.0M |
| 21 | Robert Suarez RP, 35 | Atlanta Braves | $15.00M | 2 | −$10.0M |
| 22 | Corey Seager SS, 32 | Texas Rangers | $32.00M | 5 | −$9.9M |
| 23 | Christian Yelich DH, 34 |  Milwaukee Brewers | $23.89M | 2 | −$9.9M |
| 24 | Marcus Semien 2B, 36 |  New York Mets | $24.00M | 2 | −$9.9M |
| 25 | Carlos Rodón SP, 33 | New York Yankees | $26.17M | 2 | −$9.9M |
| 26 | Luis Castillo SP, 33 |  Chicago White Sox | $21.35M | 2 | −$9.7M |
| 27 | Brent Rooker DH, 32 |  Athletics | $10.00M | 4 | −$9.7M |
| 28 | Tatsuya Imai SP, 28 | Houston Astros | $18.00M | 2 | −$9.6M |
| 29 | Gerrit Cole SP, 36 | New York Yankees | $36.00M | 2 | −$9.6M |
| 30 | Michael King SP, 31 | San Diego Padres | $25.00M | 2 | −$9.5M |
| 31 | Framber Valdez SP, 32 |  Detroit Tigers | $31.52M | 2 | −$8.6M |
| 32 | Aaron Nola SP, 33 | Philadelphia Phillies | $24.57M | 4 | −$8.3M |
| 33 | Jake Cronenworth 2B, 32 | San Diego Padres | $11.14M | 4 | −$7.9M |
| 34 | Giancarlo Stanton DH, 36 | New York Yankees | $25.00M | 2 | −$7.7M |
| 35 | J.T. Realmuto C, 35 | Philadelphia Phillies | $15.00M | 2 | −$6.5M |
| 36 | Bo Bichette 3B, 28 | New York Mets | $42.00M | 2 | −$6.4M |
| 37 | Tyler Rogers RP, 35 | Toronto Blue Jays | $10.67M | 3 | −$6.0M |
| 38 | Jung Hoo Lee RF, 28 | San Francisco Giants | $18.00M | 3 | −$5.7M |
| 39 | Seth Lugo SP, 36 |  Kansas City Royals | $21.50M | 2 | −$5.1M |
| 40 | Joe Musgrove SP, 33 | San Diego Padres | $20.00M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 41 | Javier Báez SS, 33 | Detroit Tigers | $23.33M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 42 | Tyler O'Neill RF, 31 |  Baltimore Orioles | $16.50M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 43 | Brad Keller RP, 31 | Philadelphia Phillies | $9.00M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 44 | Sean Manaea SP, 34 | New York Mets | $22.01M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 45 | Pablo López SP, 30 |  Minnesota Twins | $18.12M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 46 | Cristian Javier SP, 29 | Houston Astros | $12.40M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 47 | Jorge Polanco DH, 33 | New York Mets | $17.00M | 1 | −$5.0M |
| 48 | Masataka Yoshida DH, 33 | Boston Red Sox | $17.40M | 1 | −$4.9M |
| 49 | Mickey Moniak LF, 28 | Colorado Rockies | $8.12M | 2 | −$4.9M |
| 50 | Christian Walker 1B, 35 | Houston Astros | $20.00M | 1 | −$4.8M |