Ranking the worst contracts in the American League West

Strictly speaking, the normally pretty frugal Houston Astros avoid giving out objectively terrible contracts when a competent executive is in charge of the front office (more on that later). The Astros don't have the luxury that some of the bigger market teams have, buoyed by a seemingly endless stream of of revenue, so they tend to be a bit more careful with their money.

However, that doesn't mean they have been completely unable to avoid some stinkers, and the rest of the AL West most certainly hasn't been able to. In an era where teams are better than ever at valuing players and, as a result, avoiding truly awful contracts, a few have still found a way to sneak through (or at least age differently than teams thought).

Here are the worst contracts in the AL West, ranked from bad to worst. Where do the Astros fit?

The focus here is going to be on contracts that will be bad after the 2024 season. While there are certainly some bad deals that are expiring this year (Justin Verlander's contract comes to mind, for example), this is more about the contracts that are going to stink out loud in 2025 and possibly beyond.

Here is a look at the six worst contracts in the AL West after the 2024 season. ranked by their horridness.

6. Astros' Lance McCullers Jr.: Two years, $35.4 million left after 2024

McCullers Jr.'s contract is a lesson in why giving long-term deals to pitchers is an incredibly risky proposition. The Astros gave McCullers Jr. a five-year, $85 million extension before the 2021 season, despite a history of arm trouble. Since signing that extension, he played a full (and quite good) season in 2021, but has only started eight games since the start of 2022, as a slew of injuries and surgeries have befallen him. McCullers Jr. was supposed to return this season, but yet another setback forced the Astros to shut him down once more. At this point, there is no telling what he will look like when he returns almost three years after his last pitch for Houston.

5. Angels' Mike Trout: Six years, $222.7 million left after 2024

The Angels' mega-extension for Trout was at least understandable at the time it was given in 2019. Not only was Trout one of the most marketable players in baseball at the time, but he was also arguably the best player on planet Earth. In fact, he rewarded LA for giving him that extension with his third MVP award that year. Unfortunately, Trout has been limited to just 266 games since the start of 2021 due to various injuries, including two knee surgeries this year. With over $200 million owed to him despite his uncertain health outlook, he has to make the list, even if he stays on the field next year.

T-3. Tie - Astros' Jose Abreu and Rafael Montero - $31 million left after 2024

We are grouping Abreu and Montero, as they are the result of the same Jim Crane fever dream. Once the Astros ran James Click out of town because "reasons," Crane went out and made two very ill-advised signings of both Abreu and Montero that Houston had to reckon with this year. Abreu got sent to the minors and was ultimately released after a horrid stint with the Astros. Montero got forced out of the Astros' bullpen earlier this season after basically being one of their worst relievers since he got his bag. Not a great look at all.

2. Rangers' Jacob deGrom: Three years, $115 million left after 2024

On the surface, giving one of the best pitchers of the last decade in deGrom a five-year, $185 million contract doesn't seem like a bad idea for the Rangers. However, the devil is in the details here. Not only was deGrom in his mid-30s when he signed that deal, but he also had a recent history of injury troubles in his arm and shoulder. The unpredictable deGrom made a total of six starts with Texas before needing his second Tommy John surgery. It sounds like he could return this month, but his outlook is anything but rosy going forward, especially at his age.

1. Angels' Anthony Rendon: Two years, $77.1 million left after 2024

Scientists will study Anthony Rendon's horror show of a contract for decades to come as one of the worst contracts ever given to a baseball player. He was a legitimately great player for the Nationals, but he has been nothing but a disappointing bag of constant injuries and tone deaf comments ever since. He has played just 255 games in his FIVE seasons with the Angels, including a pair of IL stints this year, and he hasn't hit a home run since July 1, 2023. You will struggle to find any Angels fan (or employee, if we are being honest) that doesn't wish the substantial money being given to Rendon the next two years was going to be spent on almost anything else.

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