Detroit Tigers Dreadful Blockbuster Contract Among Worst Recent MLB Mistakes

The Detroit Tigers' massive contract with a struggling shortstop is ranked among the worst MLB moves in the past five years.

Aug 20, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (28) is recognized prior to his first game back to Wrigley Field before facing the Chicago Cubs. | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers handed out a massive contract to a free agent shortstop a few years ago and it has been one of the worst mistakes made in the past few years.

ESPN's David Schoenfield recently ranked each MLB team based on the worst mistake they have made since 2020. The Tigers were fairly high on the list at eighth overall with the Javier Baez contract.

Baez was signed to a six-year, $140 million deal back in December of 2021. He has moved from All-Star to fighting for at-bats heading into next season.

The only free agent signing that finished higher was the Colorado Rockies giving Kris Bryant a seven-year, $182 million deal. Both players have been similarly bad, but Bryant's contract was longer and thus more expensive. It is fair to say that it was slightly worse of a move.

As for Baez, it didn't seem like a terrible deal at the time. Detroit was ready to get better and adding a two-time All-Star to anchor shortsop made sense.

Over the first seven years of his career, he had posted a solid .264/.307/.477 slash line with an average of 19 home runs. He grew into someone that could hit around 30 homers a year by the end of that time.

Since putting pen to paper with the Tigers, he has posted just a .221/.262/.347 slash line with barely 30 home runs overall.

He has always been someone that you can count on striking out a lot, but he has not done anything well at the plate over the last so it has been harder to ignore.

The 32-year-old was also at least an elite defender in the years before signing, but has been below average for Detroit there too.

During last year's trade deadline the Tigers acquired Trey Sweeney from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who looks to be the short term answer and could push Baez to the bench.

Sweeney has been solid, but still isn't the offensive threat that they need. Perhaps a prospect will step up, but they will still have to deal with Baez's massive contract through the end of the 2027 season.

That money could hurt the team major over the next few years as they have a burgeoning squad that could use some talent investment in free agency.

The Los Angeles Angels earned the top spot on the list for holding on to Shohei Ohtani for too long and not trading him at the deadline.