Earlier this month, the Athletics signed former Mets pitcher to a three-year, $67 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in the franchise’s history. While it’s unfortunate to see the A’s in their current state, this deal sparked discussions about some of the largest contracts other MLB teams have handed out.
From the mid-2000s until his death in 2017, Mike Ilitch led the Detroit Tigers with a bold, albeit risky, approach. He was willing to spend generously to acquire players he liked and gave his front office the resources needed to chase championships.
Between 2007 and 2017, the Tigers had a top-five payroll eight times and only once finished outside the top 10. Since Chris Ilitch took over, however, the team’s financial approach has shifted significantly. Under his leadership, the Tigers haven’t finished in the top 20 for payroll, and things aren’t looking better for 2025.
Optimistically, the Tigers are coming off a strong finish to the 2024 season, and their improved on-field performance may put them in a better position to invest in player payroll to help the team in the future. Could they sign another $100 million player this winter? There are a few good fits for Detroit, so let’s hope for the best.
Here are the largest contracts ever given by the Detroit Tigers:
In late 2015, the Tigers pursued former Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann, signing him to a five-year, $110 million deal. Unfortunately, Zimmermann’s tenure in Detroit was marred by injuries and underperformance, resulting in a disappointing 5.63 ERA.
Six weeks after Zimmermann, the Tigers signed outfielder Justin Upton to a six-year, $132 million contract, which included an opt-out after the second year. As the Tigers’ decline continued in 2017, Upton was traded to the Angels just 18 months later. His time in Detroit was statistically decent, with a .260/.333/.500 line and 59 homers, but the trade return was underwhelming.
In 2022, the Tigers signed infielder Javier Báez to a six-year, $140 million contract. Unfortunately, Báez’s performance in Detroit has been disappointing. Once known for his hard-nosed play, he now seems on the decline, with a poor .221/.262/.347 slash line in his three years with the Tigers. He still has three years and $73 million left on his contract, which has become difficult to trade.
The Tigers also extended ace Justin Verlander in 2013 with a seven-year, $180 million deal, which included the 2013-2014 seasons at a lower rate. Verlander was one of the best pitchers in Tigers’ history and continued to perform well until his trade to Houston. He’ll likely enter the Hall of Fame as a Tiger.
The largest free-agent contract the Tigers have ever given out was to Prince Fielder in 2014, a nine-year, $214 million deal. Unfortunately, Fielder played just two seasons in Detroit before being traded to Texas due to injury, which led to a premature retirement after the 2016 season.
Finally, in 2014, Dave Dombrowski gave Miguel Cabrera an eight-year, $248 million extension after his back-to-back MVP seasons. While the contract extended into the later years of Cabrera’s career, it remains a solid deal, as he’ll likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Tiger.
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