10 MLB contracts that seem like huge bargains

On the heels of Shohei Ohtani signing for a record $700 million, Hall of Famer David Ortiz said the Atlanta Braves should offer NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. a new contract after his transcendent performance in 2023.

"For me, he is worth $500 million," Ortiz said, according to Z101 Digital's Héctor Gómez. "He's a player who can do everything on the field."

The 25-year-old is signed to one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball. The Braves inked Acuña to an eight-year, $100-million extension in April 2019.

Here, theScore takes a look at 10 of the best value contracts in baseball and why they have become such bargains for the teams that signed them. Players pre-arb, in arbitration, or ones who signed short-term deals were not considered.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Contract: 8-year, $100M (2019)
AAV: $12.5M
fWAR since signing: 22.7

The Braves signed Acuña to his contract after just 111 games during his age-20 season. At the time, Acuña was the youngest MLB player to ever agree to a nine-figure deal. The superstar outfielder has averaged 4.5 fWAR per season over five years since his rookie campaign, which included the shortened 2020 season and an ACL injury that forced him to miss significant time afterward. He earned NL MVP honors in 2023 after becoming the first player in MLB history to reach 40 homers and 70 stolen bases. The unprecedented success came while making $17 million.

"I have no regrets," Acuna said in 2019. "No one can see the future. No one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, so I'm extremely happy with the decision we've all made and I'm just excited to be here."

Ozzie Albies, Braves

Contract: 7-year, $35M (2019)
AAV: $5M
fWAR since signing: 14.1

Albies' contract might be even better for Atlanta than Acuña's since the former has blossomed into one of baseball's best second basemen. Only three other players at the keystone position have accrued a higher fWAR than Albies since 2018. He signed his deal in April 2019 and has since put up a pair of 30-homer seasons with 100-plus RBIs and double-digit steals.

"I look at it as it’s not just for money," Albies said in 2019. "Because I'm not playing for money. I'm playing for my career. And I took it because I want my family to be safe."

He added, "I mean, I see it this way. If I left dollars on the table, I'm going to play hard to get it in four or five years, seven years. If I left it on the table, it's good that now I know I can get it then, coming back."

Luis Robert Jr., White Sox

Contract: 6-year, $50M (2020)
AAV: $8.3M
fWAR since signing: 11.7

The Chicago White Sox gave Robert his contract before he played a single game in the majors. The deal looked suspect at first, as Robert suited up in a combined 166 contests between 2021 and '22 before breaking out in 2023. The 26-year-old went deep a career-high 38 times with 20 steals and an .857 OPS, and he played elite defense in center field, all while earning $12.5 million.

Corbin Carroll, D-Backs

Contract: 8-year, $111M (2023)
AAV: $13.875M
fWAR since signing: 6.0

The Arizona Diamondbacks continued the trend of locking up top prospects with little-to-no major-league experience by handing Carroll a long-term pact after just 21 games in 2022. The move looks like it'll be a steal. The 23-year-old led Arizona to a World Series berth after a spectacular first MLB season. He was the first freshman ever to record a 25-homer, 50-steal campaign and won NL Rookie of the Year.

José Ramírez, Guardians

Contract: 7-year, $141M (2022)
AAV: $20.14M
fWAR since signing: 11.5

A $141-million contract is a dream to many major leaguers. However, it's a massive discount for arguably the most underappreciated MLB superstar. Ramírez should have at least a $300-million deal based on his body of work. Only Mookie Betts and Mike Trout have amassed a higher fWAR among position players since 2016, and only four players have a larger total than Ramírez over the last two years since he signed his extension with the Cleveland Guardians. The deal was the richest the club has ever handed out, eclipsing the $60 million over three seasons paid to Edwin Encarnación.

Yordan Álvarez, Astros

Contract: 6-year, $115M (2022)
AAV: $19.2M
fWAR since signing: 12.5

Since debuting in 2019, Alvarez is third among all hitters with a 170 wRC+, trailing only Aaron Judge and Trout. The 26-year-old helped the Houston Astros win the World Series in 2022 and has earned a reputation as one of baseball's best clutch hitters. This contract covers three of Alvarez's free-agent years for a total of $78 million. That's incredible value for one of the most fearsome offensive players in the game.

Spencer Strider, Braves

Contract: 6-year, $75M (2022)
AAV: $12.5M
fWAR since signing: 5.5

Strider has quickly developed into one of MLB's most dominant pitchers. The flamethrower leads all starters with a staggering 13.66 K/9 since the start of the 2022 season. Strider's dominance is even more impressive when considering he essentially only throws two pitches. The contract covers two of Strider's free-agent years for a combined $44 million.

"My goal is always to outperform any expectations," Strider said in October 2022 after signing the deal. "There's nobody that has higher aspirations or expectations for performance than myself. And so in that way, I don't feel any pressure. The expectation is that I outperform any contract I ever sign."

Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays

Contract: 5-year, $110M (2021)
AAV: $22M
fWAR since signing: 11.0

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Gausman in 2021 to replace AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray. Gausman leads all American League starting pitchers in fWAR (11.0) and K/9 (11.06) while ranking fourth in ERA (3.25) during his two seasons with the Blue Jays. The 32-year-old has been the model of durability as well, making 62 starts since the beginning of 2022. Gausman's performance has made his $22-million salary a tremendous bargain.

Logan Webb, Giants

Contract: 5-year, $90M (2023)
AAV: $18M
fWAR since signing: 4.9

Webb inked his extension in April and promptly went out and finished as a finalist for NL Cy Young. The 27-year-old is a legitimate ace and the San Francisco Giants should feel great about having him under contract for under $20 million per season. Webb doesn't possess the same level of strikeout upside as some other elite starting pitchers, but his ability to rack up ground balls enables him to pitch deep into games. Webb led all pitchers with a 62.1% ground ball rate in 2023, nearly 8% higher than the next closest pitcher.

Emmanuel Clase, Guardians

Contract: 5-year, $20M (2022)
AAV: $4M
fWAR since signing: 4.0

The Guardians acquired Clase from the Texas Rangers for Corey Kluber in the 2019 offseason. A shoulder injury limited Kluber to just one inning with the Rangers, while Clase has developed into one of the game's best closers. Clase led MLB in saves in each of the past two years and was named to the All-MLB first team in 2022. Elite relievers continue to be one of the most valuable commodities, making Clase's contract an incredible value and a potential trade chip should Cleveland's front office look to cash it in for a haul of young talent. His deal also includes a pair of $10-million team options for 2027 and 2028.