Is Jacoby Ellsbury Under the Worst Contract in the MLB?
In 2014 Jacoby Ellsbury signed a contract with the New York Yankees worth $153 million (all guaranteed) for seven years. In 2016 he is scheduled to make upwards of $21 million. Are the Yankees stuck with the worst contract currently in the MLB? After looking at the numbers, this very well could be. Let’s break it down.
Through 3 seasons with the team, Ellsbury’s total numbers are as follows:
408 games
.264/.326/.382
32 home runs
159 RBI’s
80 Stolen bases
94 OPS+
His 32 home runs combined through the first three seasons equal the amount he hit in 2011 with Boston. His 80 stolen bases are just 10 more than his total in 2009 alone. He’s hit just 12 triples, 2 more than his 2009 season and his highest batting average in pinstripes (.271) is lower than his lowest in any full season with the Sox.
When you break his stats down into per season, the $153 million deal seems even worse.
136 games
.264/.326/.382
11 home runs
53 RBIs
26 stolen bases
94 OPS+
22 doubles
139 hits
46 walks
When you compare how much the center fielder is making per year to other league superstars, it makes this already horrible contract look much worse. He’s making more than Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman, Ryan Braun, Carlos Gonzalez, Jose Bautista, Stephen Strasburg, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton, Adam Jones and many more players that he is not anywhere near talentwise. In fact, he is the 25 highest paid player in baseball and was higher up when he first signed the contract.
So is this the worst contract in the MLB? I’d like to say it is easily top 3. As a Red Sox fan it brings me great pleasure to say that. The Yankees also owe CC Sabathia $25 million this year so the argument is there that Ellsbury’s is not the absolute worst and the Cubs will have to dish out $28 million to Jason Heyward this season after hitting .230 with 7 homers in 2016. That may take home the title of “worst contract in the MLB”. Still, there is not much of a case for any contract, with the exception of Sabathia and Heyward, being worse than the Yankees $153 million, 7 year contract for the 33 year old. Happy spending, New York.