Francisco Lindor's $341 million contract with the Mets is the third-largest deal in the history of baseball
Just months after being purchased for $2.4 billion by hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen in September, the Mets have already handed out one of the priciest contracts not just in the history of New York sports, but in all of Major League Baseball.
Superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, whom the Mets acquired in a blockbuster January trade, agreed to a mammoth 10-year, $341 million contract extension on Wednesday that will keep him in New York through 2032, ESPN reports.
The payday makes the 27-year-old the owner of one of the top three biggest contracts in the 118-year history of the MLB. Here's how it stacks up against the previous top five, according to data from Sportrac.
6. Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees — 13 years, $325 million
Though he currently plays for the Yankees, Stanton originally signed his 13-year deal in 2014 while starring for the Miami Marlins. At the time, it was the first baseball contract to surpass $300 million. Just three years later, however, the Marlins shipped Stanton up to New York when the team decided to embark on a rebuild.
5. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies — 13 years, $330 million
Harper left the Nationals in 2019 during free agency after seven seasons playing in Washington, D.C. His $330 million contract with the Phillies was briefly the biggest in the history of the sport, until Mike Trout outdid him by $100 million a little over two weeks later.
4. Fernando Tatís Jr., San Diego Padres — 14 years, $340 million
Tatís Jr. only played two seasons in the majors before the Padres moved to keep their superstar in Southern California for the bulk of his career by signing him to the longest deal in baseball history in February. The 22-year-old will earn an average of $24.3 million each season — a figure that looks to close to a steal for the Padres considering he is one of the most productive shortstops in the sport.
3. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets — 10 years, $341 million
It's no mistake that Lindor's contract is $1 million higher than Tatís Jr.'s — the pair play the same position and Lindor recently told Sports Illustrated that he considers himself the best shortstop in the sport. Once Cohen was willing to make him the game's highest-earning shortstop, Lindor was ready to sign.
2. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers — 12 years, $365 million
After being traded from the Red Sox to Los Angeles last year, the Dodgers promptly locked Betts down with a 12-year contract that will keep the 28-year-old right fielder in Hollywood through 2032. So far it's looking like money well-spent. Betts made an immediate impact in Los Angeles, leading the Dodgers to their first World Series title since 1988 last season.
1. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels — 12 years, $426.5 million
New Jersey native Mike Trout has been one of the best players in the major leagues since he first went pro, and has already been named American League MVP three times before his 30th birthday. In 2019, the Angels moved to make sure he wouldn't be playing for anyone else. Trout's monster contract pays him $35.8 million each year and will keep him in Anaheim until he is 39 years old. Not bad for the 25th pick in the draft.
This story has been updated to reflect Lindor agreeing to a deal with the Mets.
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