Top 10 worst MLB free agency contracts this season

The 2024 offseason saw some of the biggest players in the MLB sign with some of the biggest teams in the league.

While many of them have performed outstandingly, others have failed to meet the expectations they were given with the contract they signed.

Here are the top 10 worst contracts signed in the 2025 offseason.

No. 10: Ha-seong Kim

Ha-seong Kim signed a 2-year, $29 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, including $29 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $14.5 million. After signing with the Tampa Bay Rays in February 2025, Kim was traded to the Atlanta Braves in September.

His season was hampered by a significant shoulder surgery he had in August 2024 and later back inflammation, which led to him being placed on the injured list. He played only 24 games with the Braves before the end of the season, batting .214 with two home runs and five RBIs.

No. 9: Jurickson Profar

Jurickson Profar signed a 3-year, $42 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, which guarantees $42 million and an average annual salary of $14 million. Profar's 2025 performance included an 80-game suspension for a PED violation, which he served after just four games into the season.

After his June return, Profar performed well, hitting home runs and driving in runs, finishing with a .245 batting average, 14 home runs, and 43 RBIs. However, missing almost half of the season really hindered his performance and the performance of the Braves in the regular season.

No. 8: Joc Pederson

Joc Pederson's current contract is a two-year, $37 million deal with the Texas Rangers, which he signed in December 2024. Pederson was expected to complement the lineup and fill the designated hitter role after a career-best 2024 season.

However, Pederson had a disappointing 2025 season with the Rangers, batting .181 with 9 home runs and 26 RBIs in 96 games, significantly below his career-high 2024 performance. A right-hand fracture in late May led to a two-month absence and a struggle to regain his form after returning.

No. 7: Walker Buehler

Walker Buehler signed a contract worth $21.05 million for one year with the Boston Red Sox, signed in December 2024. After struggling in his first season with Boston, the Red Sox released him in August 2025, and he signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Buehler's 2025 MLB season was marked by a difficult performance for the Red Sox, where he struggled with a 5.45 ERA across 23 appearances. He made a strong comeback with the Phillies, allowing just one earned run in 13.2 innings across three outings, resulting in a 0.66 ERA.

No. 6: Jordan Romano

Jordan Romano signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies for $8.5 million in December 2024, with potential earnings of up to $9 million through incentives.

Romano had a highly disappointing and injury-plagued 2025 season with the Phillies, struggling with an ERA over 8.00, a 1.45 WHIP, and being placed on the injured list twice for finger and potential nerve issues.

No. 5: Michael Conforto

Michael Conforto is on a one-year, $17 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2025 season, signed in December 2024. The deal, which includes an $8.5 million signing bonus, was a free-agent signing to provide the team with a left-handed-hitting outfield option.

Conforto had a poor performance in 2025, batting .199 with only 12 home runs and 36 RBIs, resulting in a career-low OPS of .637. His offensive numbers placed him among the league's worst hitters, and he also struggled defensively.

No. 4: Tanner Scott

Tanner Scott signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 2025, which included $21 million in deferred money. The deal takes him through the 2028 season and makes him one of the highest-paid relief pitchers in MLB history.

In his first season with the Dodgers in 2025, Scott had a disappointing year, with a high ERA and numerous blown saves. Scott's performance was a huge step back from his stellar 2024 season, which he split between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.

No. 3: Tyler O’Neill

Tyler O'Neill signed a three-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles worth $49.5 million, which includes a player option for him after the 2025 season.

O'Neill was plagued by injuries and only managed to hit 9 home runs and posted a .199 batting average and a .684 OPS before the season concluded. O'Neill's performance was significantly below his career averages in some key statistical categories, largely due to injuries limiting his playing time.

No. 2: Sean Manaea

Sean Manaea signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the New York Mets in December 2024. He had been a free agent but chose to return to the Mets, where his performance improved during the 2024 season.

Manaea struggled, finishing with a 2-4 record, a 5.64 ERA, and 75 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched. He missed the start of the season due to an oblique injury and later battled elbow issues, which limited his workload and contributed to his high ERA in the second half of the season.

No. 1: Anthony Santander

Anthony Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on January 20, 2025, with a club option for a sixth year that could make it a six-year, $110 million deal.

Anthony Santander had an injury-plagued and difficult 2025 season with the Toronto Blue Jays, missing significant time with left shoulder inflammation and inflammation in his left hip, and he didn't begin his first hitting progression until late in the season. He played just 50 games before hitting the injured list in May with a slash line of .179/.273/.304.

Massimo Buonagurio is a second-year student majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email mkb6750@psu.edu.