Billion-dollar bust? Yankees heavily featured in all-overpaid lineup

When the New York Yankees secured Giancarlo Stanton, the move was celebrated as a game-changing acquisition in Major League Baseball. At that time, Stanton was regarded as one of the sport’s most formidable hitters, fresh off an MVP season that solidified his status among the elite.

Over his career, Stanton has accumulated an impressive list of achievements: five All-Star appearances, an MVP award, and two Silver Slugger honors. With 422 home runs to his name, he is on a path that could one day see him inducted into the Hall of Fame, especially if he reaches the coveted 500-homer milestone.

However, Stanton’s stint with the Yankees has been plagued by injuries and performances that have often fallen short of the lofty expectations attached to his massive contract. The $325 million deal he signed demands not just excellence, but extraordinary play, especially given the large share of the team’s payroll devoted to him.

The gap between Stanton’s proven potential and his actual output for the Yankees has been a source of frustration for the organization and its fans alike. While his skill is unquestionable, recurring health issues and inconsistent performances have made it difficult for him to fully live up to the terms of his substantial contract.

This scenario highlights the high-risk, high-reward nature of mega-contracts in professional sports, where substantial financial commitments bring with them enormous pressure to perform. Stanton’s situation with the Yankees serves as a reminder of the challenges teams face when banking on even the most talented players to consistently deliver value equal to their salaries.

Giancarlo Stanton has been named to Bleacher Report’s “all-overpaid” MLB team by Kerry Miller, highlighting the disparity between Stanton’s performance and the massive contract he carries.

Miller emphasizes that while Stanton’s recent stats might seem respectable given the Yankees’ broader offensive woes, they don’t measure up to the expectations for a player of his stature and salary. Stanton’s .241 batting average, 20 home runs, and .780 OPS stand out primarily because the Yankees’ lineup has struggled, and his output in the last two seasons has been underwhelming.

Despite these critiques, Miller recognizes Stanton’s significant impact when he’s on his game. The Yankees boast an impressive 36-8 record in games where Stanton contributes by either scoring or driving in a run. On the other hand, during Stanton’s five-week absence due to a hamstring injury, the team stumbled to a 10-18 record, underscoring his importance.

A deeper look into Stanton’s time with the Yankees reveals that health, rather than talent, has been his main hurdle. When he’s been able to stay on the field, Stanton has proven his worth, especially in high-stakes moments. His postseason performance with the Yankees is particularly notable, as he’s hit .260 with a .327 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage. Stanton has belted 11 home runs and driven in 24 runs across just 96 at-bats in playoff action, demonstrating his ability to shine under pressure.

Four more Yankees land on all-overpaid squad

The all-overpaid list features five players currently with the Yankees. It mentions Anthony Rizzo ($17M, -0.6 bWAR) as the runner-up for the first base position. Miller writes, “”Rizzo might have been the choice anyway, as he was sputtering through the worst season of his career before missing the past two months with a broken arm. His 2024 OPS (.630) is nearly 200 points below where it was when he inked his two-year, $40M extension during the 2022-23 offseason.”

As expected Yankees second-baseman Gleyber Torres leads the overpaid pack in his category. The Yankees has paid $14.2M for 0.0 bWAR. “Last season, Torres was basically the only hitter the Yankees could count on,” Miller claims. “However, he has become maybe the weakest link in a lineup that has a ton of weak links beyond Judge and Juan Soto. After hitting at least 24 home runs in four of his first six seasons in the majors, Torres didn’t hit his first of this season until his 33rd game. And that was hardly a dam-breaker, as he is on pace to finish the season with around 14 and just recently snapped a streak of 15 consecutive games without an extra-base hit.”

The all-overpaid team has Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu ($15M, -1.4 bWAR) at second position for the third base. It lists out the reason: “LeMahieu missed the first two months of the season with a broken foot, further expediting what was already a rapid decline. He had a .922 OPS in his first two seasons (2019-20) with the Yankees, finishing top four in the AL MVP vote each year. From 2021-23, though, that mark hovered at .720. And now it’s down to .522—with two more years left on his contract, no less.”

Gerrit Cole overpaid? Oversight or mistaken analysis?

Miller also included Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the all-overpaid tea. For $36M, 0.9 bWAR, he put him at fifth for overpaid starting pitchers. According to him, “At 83 percent the cost Verlander or Scherzer, Cole hasn’t been actively hurting the Yankees with poor performance, but it most certainly hasn’t been a vintage or injury-free year for the reigning AL Cy Young winner. Cole just made his 10th start of the season on Friday and has a 4.15 ERA to show for it.”

At this juncture, the Yankees’ regular season performance is largely academic, given their seemingly assured path to the playoffs. The real intrigue, however, may unfold once the season concludes.

Cole’s contract situation presents a compelling dilemma for both player and organization. His current agreement includes an escape hatch after this season, allowing him to forsake the remaining four years and $144 million. Should he choose this route, the Yankees can counter by sweetening the pot with an additional $36 million, effectively transforming the deal into a decade-long commitment worth $360 million.

Pre-season expectations suggested this scenario was all but guaranteed, with both parties eager to extend their partnership through 2029. However, Cole’s recent struggles have muddied the waters. If his performance doesn’t rebound in the coming weeks, an opt-out decision by Cole might be met with unexpected acquiescence from the Yankees’ front office.

Such a move would free up substantial financial resources, potentially redirected towards an aggressive pursuit of Juan Soto in free agency. This unexpected twist could reshape the Yankees’ roster strategy, pivoting from retaining their ace to acquiring a generational hitting talent.

Ex-Yankees also on the overpaid team

Ex-Yankees left outfielder Andrew Benintendi, the Chicago White Sox , is experiencing a challenging season despite his $17.1 million salary. His performance has resulted in a negative 1.7 bWAR. Despite a recent power surge, Benintendi’s batting average remains disappointingly low at .214. The White Sox signed him to a five-year, $75 million contract following his All-Star season with a .304 batting average. Previously, he had maintained a career .279 average and earned a Gold Glove in 2021. However, his current contract is now viewed as a significant burden for a team potentially facing a record-breaking losing season.

Once a Yankees pitcher, Jordan Montgomery, the current Arizona Diamondbacks’ fourth starting pitcher, is struggling to justify his $25 million salary with a negative 1.3 bWAR. Unlike other free agents who signed similar short-term, high-value contracts with player options, Montgomery has underperformed significantly. His 6.25 ERA through 18 starts and inconsistent performance stand in stark contrast to the success of players like Matt Chapman and Blake Snell. Despite being the highest-paid player on the team, Montgomery’s postseason roster spot may be in jeopardy if the Diamondbacks qualify, especially given the team’s history of parting ways with underperforming high-profile pitchers.

Controversial former Yankees star Aroldis Chapman, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a reliever, is earning $10.5 million with a 0.5 bWAR. His season began poorly, with a high walk rate and a FIP of 5.92 in his first 19.1 innings pitched. However, since late May, Chapman has shown significant improvement. His FIP has dropped to 2.19, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio has more than doubled. This turnaround has made him a player of interest as the trade deadline approaches, potentially removing him from consideration for this list had he maintained this level of performance throughout the season.

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