Major League Baseball

Top 10 biggest contracts in MLB history: Shohei Ohtani's $700 million with Dodgers tops list

Updated Dec. 22, 2023 2:12 p.m. ET

The wait is over. Shohei Ohtani has selected his new team and will reportedly be joining the Los Angeles Dodgerrs for the next 10 years.

Ohtani's $700 million contract goes down as the largest signed in Major League Baseball history by a very wide margin.

Here's a look at the top 10 deals ever doled out in MLB, and how those players performed after signing their historic contracts.

(Note: these values are based on data from Spotrac.com)

Stat lines in majors thus far: Hitting: .274/.366/.556/.922 171 HR, 437 RBI, 329 XBH Pitching: 38-19, 481.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 608 K - 173 BB
Hitting: .274/.366/.556/.922 171 HR, 437 RBI, 329 XBH
Pitching: 38-19, 481.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 608 K - 173 BB
One of just nine players in MLB history with multiple 40-HR and 20-SB seasons
First player to win two unanimous MVPs
Prior to Ohtani, the most homers hit by a player with 10 or more wins as a pitcher was 11 by Babe Ruth in 1918. Ohtani has won 10+ games in each of the last two seasons and hit 34 and 44 homers in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Ohtani was the only American League pitcher last season with at least 130 innings pitched to hold opponents to a batting average under .200.
Three-time All-Star
Two-time AL MVP (2021, 2023)
Two-time Silver Slugger
Fourth in 2022 AL Cy Young voting

Trout signed this deal in 2019, and it extends through the 2030 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
Stat line after extension (2019): .285/.402/.602/1.004 128 HR, 292 RBI, 222 XBH
Key number since extension: Only player since 2019 to have an OPS over 1.000 and 100 or more homers.
Notables since extension: Four-time All-Star 2019 AL MVP Two-time Silver Slugger
Four-time All-Star
2019 AL MVP
Two-time Silver Slugger

After being traded from the Red Sox in 2020, Betts signed a 12-year extension with an MLB-record $65 million signing bonus. Betts helped deliver a World Series title that very year.
Stat line after extension (2021): .281/.373/.536/.909 97 HR, 247 RBI, 213 XBH
Key number since extension: One of only two players in MLB to have an OPS of .900 or higher and 325 or more runs scored.
Notables since extension: Three-time All-Star Finished top-five in MVP voting twice 2022 Gold Glove Two-time Silver Slugger
Three-time All-Star
Finished top-five in MVP voting twice
2022 Gold Glove
Two-time Silver Slugger

Before 2022, Judge bet on himself. Then the slugger made history and slugged an AL-record 62 homers and secured his $360 million deal. The deal will take him through the 2031 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
Stat line after extension (2023): .267/.406/.613/1.019, 37 HR, 75 RBI, 53 XBH
Key number since extension: One of only three players last year to have 35 or more homers and an OPS of 1.000 or higher.
Notables since extension:2023 All-Star
2023 All-Star

After signing a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in 2019 free agency, Machado re-upped with San Diego for a jaw-dropping $350 million. Machado will be 43 years old by the time the last year of the deal arrives.
Stat line after extension (2023): .258/.319/.462/.782, 30 HR, 91 RBI, 51 XBH
Key number since extension: One of only three third basemen to hit 30 or more homers and hit .250 or better with runners in scoring position.

Lindor was the face of the Cleveland franchise but was traded to the Mets and agreed to an extension with the team in 2021. The deal is through the 2031 season, but his contract is set up with $50 million in deferred money due to him in $5 million annual payments from 2032 to 2041.
Stat line after extension (2021): .254/.333/.447/.780, 77 HR, 268 RBI, 161 XBH
Key number since extension: One of only two shortstops with 75 or more homers and 10 or more triples since 2021.
Notables since extension: Two-time top-10 MVP finisher 2023 Silver Slugger
Two-time top-10 MVP finisher
2023 Silver Slugger

Currently, the longest contract in the game, Tatis Jr. inked his contract when he was just 22 years old in 2021. The deal, which is far from the only long-term commitment on the San Diego books, will take him through the 2034 season, at which point he will be 35.
Stat line after extension (2022): .257/.322/.449/.770, 25 HR, 78 RBI, 59 XBH
Suspended for 80 games for use of performance-enhancing drugs in August 2022
Key number since extension: His average home run distance of 407.6 feet is sixth-most among players with at least 25 steals since 2022.
Notables since extension:2023 Gold Glove
2023 Gold Glove

After playing with the Nationals for his whole career, Harper left for the division-rival Phillies in 2019. His 13-year deal is the longest given to a free agent, and at the time it was signed, the contract was the largest in MLB history.
Stat line after deal (2019): .284/.395/.536/.931 122 HR, 368 RBI, 272 XBH
Key number since extension: His .319 average with runners in scoring position is tied for the third-highest among players with 120 or more homers since 2019.
Notables since extension: 2022 All-Star 2021 NL MVP 2022 NLCS MVP Two-time Silver Slugger
2022 All-Star
2021 NL MVP
2022 NLCS MVP
Two-time Silver Slugger

In 2014, Stanton capitalized on his stardom by signing the then-richest deal in MLB history. That deal expires after the 2027 season. Stanton was traded to the Yankees just three seasons after he signed the monster extension.
Stat line after extension (2015): .252/.338/.522/.860 248 HR, 632 RBI, 398 XBH
Key number since extension: He leads all players with 240 or more homers since 2015, and they've reached an average distance of 414.8 feet.
Notables since extension: Three-time All-Star 2017 MVP 2022 All-Star Game MVP 2017 Silver Slugger
Three-time All-Star
2017 MVP
2022 All-Star Game MVP
2017 Silver Slugger

Seager had become a playoff hero even before signing with the Rangers prior to the 2022 season. The shortstop's deal, which now looks very much worth it, ends in 2031 when he will be 37.
Stat line after deal (2021): .287/.361/.528/.888 82 HR, 236 RBI, 174 XBH
Key number since extension: Only shortstop with 65 or more homers since the 2022 season (67).
Notables since extension: Two-time All-Star 2023 World Series MVP Second place in 2023 MVP voting 2023 Silver Slugger
Two-time All-Star
2023 World Series MVP
Second place in 2023 MVP voting
2023 Silver Slugger

Yamamoto was posted by the Orix Buffaloes after one of the most dominant stretches in Japanese baseball history. He is a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player and has a lifetime ERA of 1.82.
The 25-year-old will reportedly sign the largest contract of any pitcher in MLB history, eclipsing Gerritt Cole's nine-year, $324 million pact with the Yankees by $1 million.
Yamamoto's pitch mix was widely regarded by MLB teams as one that would translate perfectly to MLB. Jake Mintz broke down why.