Rockies Veteran Listed As Having Worst Contract for Team Currently

It shouldn't come as a surprise as to who in Colorado was listed as having the worst contract for the 2026 season.

Colorado Rockies hat | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

To say that at this stage of his career, Kris Bryant is exhausting all opportunities to try to keep his career going with the Colorado Rockies is an understatement. He reported to spring training last month, but left as he struggles to get around. He is unable to run because of his chronic lumbar degenerative disk disease.

That injury has limited him to just 170 games in the four years since signing his seven-year, $182 million contract with the Rockies. Since he signed the deal, Bryant played in 42 games in 2022, 80 in 2023, 37 in 2024 and just 11 in 2025.

“Usually in the progression you start with the exercises, then you move to running,” Bryant said in February. “Any time my feet hit the ground, I just feel like I could probably fall over.”

Bryant is nowhere close to returning to the field and it is going to be tough to envision him ever playing in a game again. It should not come as a surprise, given what has happened, that Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed Bryant's contract as the worst contract on the books for Colorado entering the 2026 season.

Rockies Kris Bryant Contract Listed As Worst Contract for 2026

Kris Bryant | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bryant is going down the same road as former Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg did toward the end of his career, where injuries really hampered his ability to get on the field.

"A bad back has limited the former NL MVP to just 170 of a possible 680 games again in four seasons since joining the Rockies in free agency. It would seem like a miracle if Bryant, now 34, plays in 170 games the remainder of his career,'' Kelly wrote.

An MVP with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, Bryant has slashed .273/.368/.483 with 184 home runs and 548 RBIs. He played seven seasons for the Cubs and one with the San Francisco Giants before signing with Colorado. It would be easy for Rockies fans to get on someone who hasn't come close to living up to his deal, but these are different circumstances.

At 34 years old, Bryant is running out of time and options. It will come down to the Rockies and Bryant as to how things end up playing out, should he never play again.

It's clear that he is having trouble walking, never mind trying to get back anywhere near baseball shape to return. It's easy to label his contract as the worst on the books for Paul DePodesta this season, despite him not giving Bryant the deal.