On the 5th (Korean time), Boston agreed with Raphael Devers (27), the main pillar of the team and the main third baseman, on a super-large contract worth 331 million dollars over 11 years. Devers was scheduled to qualify as a free agent (FA) at the end of the 2023 season, but he sat down before that.
He was immediately evaluated as one of the biggest fish in the market next year, and considering his recent market price, it is not surprising. Devers, who made his major league debut in 2017, is an All-Star third baseman who played 689 games over six seasons and recorded a batting average of 0.283, 139 home runs, 455 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.854. In 2021, he also won the American League Silver Slugger. His last two years have been All-Stars.
Devers turns 27 this year. He’s still in his prime. His 11-year super-long contract is burdensome, but there is also a point of view that he can understand because he is still young. It is an analysis that Boston made a big investment from a long-term perspective as it is difficult to find a third baseman like this right now, and there is no guarantee that he will catch it if he goes to the FA market next year.
This contract also changed the major league contract rankings (based on total amount). Devers’ $331 million ranks sixth all-time. He also became the 13th player of all time to sign a contract worth more than $300 million.
Players who won bigger contracts than Devers by total value are Mike Trout (LA Angels, $426.5 million, 12 years), Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers, $365 million, 12 years),안전놀이터 and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees, 9 There are a total of five players, including $360 million a year), Francisco Lindor (New York Mets, $341 million in 10 years), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego, $340 million in 2014).
Devers is followed by Bryce Harper (Philadelphia, $330 million, 13 years), Corey Seager (Texas, $325 million, 10 years), and Giancarlo Stanton (New York Yankees, $325 million, 13 years). there is. Up to this point, everything is beast.
The highest paid pitcher is Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees). Ahead of the 2020 season, he signed a nine-year contract with the New York Yankees for a total of $324 million, becoming the first pitcher to exceed $300 million in total. Cole is in the top 10 of all time. In other words, there is only one pitcher among the top 10 in major league history based on total contracts.
The major leagues have a strong tendency to hit more fielders for the same value. The logic is that players who play every day are more valuable. So, except in special cases, the MVP of the league goes to the fielder. Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers) and Justin Verlander (New York Mets) are only two active pitchers who have MVP experience. At least the last 10 years have been the only case of Kershaw.
Here, pitchers are obviously at a disadvantage in terms of total amount. This is because long-term contracts are not often given to pitchers with a relatively higher risk of injury. This is why Cole’s 9-year contract is evaluated as special. Instead, pitchers often use a method to increase their annual average. Right now, the highest annual salaries in the major leagues this year are Max Scherzer and Verlander (both New York Mets), each with about $43.33 million.