MLB's Top 25 Most Overpaid Players

Paying a player top dollar is no guarantee that he's going to produce at the level that earned him that payday in the first place, and this season more than ever that seems like a theme across baseball.

With a salary north of $50 million and a 93 OPS+ on the year, Kyle Tucker is the most glaring example this season, but he is far from baseball's only massively overpaid player.

Ahead we've highlighted the 25 most overpaid players in the league, focusing solely on 2026 salary relative to 2026 production.

Players are presented alphabetically, so placement within the article should not be interpreted as a reflection of ranking relative to other players.

Note: Salaries referenced in the article reflect luxury-tax payroll figures, courtesy of Spotrac.

SS Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants

Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $26,000,000
Stats: 116 G, 96 OPS+, .224/.285/.413, 45 XBH (19 HR), 48 RBI
WAR: 1.6

After a rocky start to his first season in San Francisco, shortstop Willy Adames ultimately rebounded to post a 111 OPS+ with 30 home runs and 3.7 WAR to kick off his seven-year, $182 million deal.

This year, that rebound simply hasn't come, and while he has provided positive value with his glove and extra-base pop, his production has been a far cry from justifying one of the largest salaries of any shortstop.

IF/OF Javier Báez, Detroit Tigers

Nic Antaya/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $23,333,333
Stats: 38 G, 79 OPS+, .261/.291/.358, 9 XBH (2 HR), 14 RBI
WAR: -0.4

Following a surprise return to relevance in 2025 when he earned an All-Star selection and was a 2.0-WAR player, Javier Báez has been limited this season by a severe ankle sprain that cost him nearly three months.

He has started 10 of the last 16 games for Detroit at shortstop, with rookie Kevin McGonigle shifting over to third base when he's in the lineup, but he profiles best as a versatile utility piece in the fifth season of his six-year, $140 million contract.

3B Bo Bichette, New York Mets

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $42,000,000

Stats: 125 G, 95 OPS+, .267/.314/.386, 33 XBH (12 HR), 63 RBI

WAR: 0.9

The Mets signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal with opt-outs after the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Early reports portrayed him as a potential opt-out candidate, but that now appears unlikely.

While he is still only 28 years old, Bichette is struggling through the worst offensive season of his career outside of an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The shift to third base has gone relatively smoothly (-2 DRS, 3 OAA), but his bat has always been what drives his value and it has not even been league average.

DH Kris Bryant, Colorado Rockies

Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $26,000,000
Stats: Injured, has not played
WAR: N/A

"My focus has just been to find stuff that helps me wake up each day in hopefully a little less pain than the day before," Kris Bryant told reporters during spring training when asked about when he might return to the field.

Diagnosed with chronic lumbar degenerative disk disease, Bryant has played 170 total games over the first five seasons in Colorado, including 11 last year and zero this season. The 2016 NL MVP has two years and $52 million left on the books when the 2026 season ends.

RHP Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks

Kelsey Grant/Arizona Diamondbacks/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $32,910,744
Stats: Injured, has not played
WAR: N/A

When healthy, Corbin Burnes pitched well during his first season with the D-backs, posting a 2.66 ERA in 64.1 innings over 11 starts. However, his season was cut short with an elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery, and he has not taken the mound since June 1, 2025.

He was building up for a potential return when he suffered a shoulder strain in June, but he has resumed throwing and is now eyeing a potential September comeback. Can the 2021 NL Cy Young winner be a factor in Arizona's playoff push?

LHP Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $28,333,333
Stats: 6 GS, 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 11 BB, 37 K, 30.0 IP
WAR: -0.6

Garrett Crochet was every bit the ace the Red Sox hoped they were acquiring in his first season in Boston, posting a 2.59 ERA with 255 strikeouts in 205.1 innings to finish runner-up in AL Cy Young voting.

After a few early duds, including a brutal start against the Twins on April 13 (1.2 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 10 ER), he was shelved with shoulder inflammation. What was originally expected to be a brief IL stint has stretched nearly four months, as he developed a lat strain while ramping back up and could now be out the rest of the year.

RHP Edwin Díaz, Los Angeles Dodgers

Gina Ferazzi/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $21,120,000
Stats: 16 G, 7/11 SV, 11.85 ERA, 2.56 WHIP, 13.2 IP
WAR: -1.4

Edwin Díaz was utterly dominant last season for the Mets, posting a 1.63 ERA and 13.3 K/9 with 28 saves in 62 appearances before opting out of his contract and inking a new three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers.

After struggling to a 10.50 ERA over his first seven appearances with reduced fastball velocity, he was sidelined with arm fatigue and underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies. He returned on July 29, but has three blown saves in six chances since returning.

RHP Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks

Chris Coduto/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $18,756,739
Stats: 19 GS, 6.34 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 31 BB, 61 K, 98.0 IP
WAR: -1.6

Zac Gallen was the bona fide ace of the D-backs rotation during a five-year stretch that saw him finish in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting three different times, but he fell flat in his contract year in 2025.

After a long stay in free agency following a qualifying offer he turned down, he found his way back to the D-backs on a one-year deal in February looking to rebuild his stock. That hasn't happened, and he struggled to a 13.9 percent strikeout rate before landing on the IL with elbow inflammation in July.

1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $35,714,286
Stats: 115 G, 91 OPS+, .263/.337/.356, 26 XBH (7 HR), 46 RBI
WAR: 0.9

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had eight home runs in 18 games during the postseason last year to help the Blue Jays reach the World Series, but he has hit just seven long balls in 486 plate appearances this year, including none at home in Toronto.

The Blue Jays made him the face of the franchise with a 14-year, $500 million extension that kicked in this year, and while he was named an All-Star for the sixth year in a row, his .356 slugging percentage has been one of baseball's most disappointing stats.

RHP Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks

Chris Coduto/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $20,000,000
Stats: 22 GS, 5.11 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 53 BB, 82 K, 125.0 IP
WAR: -0.1

Among the 101 pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched this season, Merrill Kelly ranks 92nd in ERA (5.11) and 98th in FIP (5.72), and he has managed just seven quality starts.

He has surrendered a .314 average and 11 home runs with his fastball, and he has simply not missed as many bats this year. After signing a two-year, $40 million deal during the offseason, the question now is whether he can make good on the second season of that contract.

LHP Yusei Kikuchi, Los Angeles Angels

Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $21,225,000
Stats: 7 GS, 5.81 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 14 BB, 33 K, 31.0 IP
WAR: 0.0

Yusei Kikuchi was an All-Star in his first season with the Angels last year, posting a 3.99 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 178.1 innings to kick off a three-year, $63 million deal.

His rocky start this year was backed by a 3.66 FIP and solid 23.2 percent strikeout rate, but he has been sidelined since April 29 with shoulder inflammation. The 35-year-old is currently on a rehab assignment and expected to rejoin the MLB rotation this coming weekend.

SS Ha-Seong Kim, Atlanta Braves

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $20,000,000
Stats: 31 G, -32 OPS+, .066/.165/.066, 0 XBH, 4 RBI
WAR: -1.0

The Braves saw enough from Ha-Seong Kim in a 24-game audition down the stretch in 2025 to bring him back on a one-year, $20 million deal to serve as the team's primary shortstop.

He tore a tendon in his finger slipping on ice back in South Korea in January, missing the first 41 games of the season. He then missed more than a month with inflammation in the same finger.

Since returning, he is 5-for-76 with zero extra-base hits, and the Braves have been left relying on Mauricio Dubón and Jim Jarvis at shortstop.

DH Jorge Polanco, New York Mets

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $20,000,000
Stats: 37 G, 21 OPS+, .148/.201/.230, 7 XBH (2 HR), 6 RBI
WAR: -1.4

The Mets paid handsomely for a career-high 133 OPS+ and 26 home runs from Jorge Polanco last season, signing him with the intention of making him the team's primary first baseman after Pete Alonso departed in free agency.

Injuries have limited him to 37 games in the first season of a two-year, $40 million deal, and his production has been non-existent when he has been on the field. His hard-hit rate has cratered from 45.8 to 31.0 percent, and his batted-ball metrics across the board are among the worst in baseball.

C Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $17,500,000
Stats: 91 G, 64 OPS+, .158/.268/.300, 21 XBH (13 HR), 44 RBI
WAR: -0.4

Cal Raleigh has the lowest salary of any player on this list, but his fall-off after a record-setting 2025 season has been so drastic that he has earned a spot based purely on production relative to that $17.5 million figure.

Following a 60-homer campaign, he has slugged just 13 long balls in 91 games while his batting average has plummeted 89 points and his strikeout rate has skyrocketed from 26.7 to 32.0 percent. Solid defense behind the dish is the only thing keeping his WAR total out of disaster territory.

3B Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels

Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $35,571,429
Stats: Injured, has not played
WAR: N/A

Sept. 7, 2024.

That's the last time Anthony Rendon took the field in an MLB game, and after restructuring his contract during the offseason to defer his remaining money, he has spent the final season of his seven-year, $245 million deal at home.

That massive contract will conclude with him logging just 3.8 WAR in 257 games for the Angels, and will go down as one of the worst signings in baseball history.

OF Luis Robert Jr., New York Mets

Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $22,000,000

Stats: 47 G, 77 OPS+, .214/.287/.346, 9 XBH (6 HR), 18 RBI

WAR: 0.4

After whiffing on Kyle Tucker in free agency, the Mets pivoted to trading for Luis Robert Jr. to fill their void in center field, which might end up being a blessing in disguise despite the former White Sox star's struggles this year.

The buy-low move has not paid dividends, but the Mets can end their financial commitment after 2026 by declining a $20 million club option for 2027 and paying a $2 million buyout.

SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $32,500,000
Stats: 65 G, 101 OPS+, .203/.307/.390, 20 XBH (12 HR), 30 RBI
WAR: 1.4

Despite piling up 18.5 WAR and logging a 158 OPS+ over the last three seasons, Corey Seager averaged just 115 games during that stretch, and his injury issues have been even more pronounced this year.

The 32-year-old has made three separate trips to the injured list this season, dealing with a nagging back issue and a concussion. As one of the highest-paid players on the roster and arguably best player on the team when healthy, his absence has been felt in a major way.

2B Marcus Semien, New York Mets

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Salary: $24,000,000
Stats: 106 G, 73 OPS+, .210/.269/.354, 25 XBH (14 HR), 41 RBI
WAR: -0.5

The surprising Marcus Semien-for-Brandon Nimmo swap in November has a clear winner so far as 2026 winds to a close:

Semien: 106 G, 73 OPS+, -0.5 WAR
Nimmo: 119 G, 122 OPS+, 2.0 WAR

Aside from his career-worst offensive production, Semien has also struggled defensively (-5 DRS, -5 OAA), which had consistently helped elevate his value floor in years past as a two-time Gold Glove winner.

RHP Luis Severino, Athletics

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $23,333,333
Stats: 12 GS, 4.16 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 31 BB, 65 K, 62.2 IP
WAR: 0.9

On the surface, a 4.16 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 62.2 innings is solid production, even if the peripheral numbers don't paint the most promising picture of sustainability.

However, in the case of Luis Severino, he is the highest-paid player on the Athletics roster by a significant margin. A right shoulder strain likely ended his season in May, and he has not been the rotation anchor the team was hoping for when he was given a three-year, $67 million deal.

DH George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays

Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $25,000,000
Stats: 94 G, 89 OPS+, .228/.309/.382, 28 XBH (12 HR), 37 RBI
WAR: 0.0

Playing out the final season of a six-year, $150 million deal with the Blue Jays, George Springer has provided mixed results during his time in Toronto.

He was an All-Star in 2022 and a Silver Slugger winner in a 4.8-WAR campaign last year, but he also had multiple down years.

The 36-year-old's time with the team is ending on a low note, as his 89 OPS+ represents a career low and he is on track to play his fewest games since the 2021 season.

DH Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees

Winslow Townson/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $22,000,000
Stats: 24 G, 100 OPS+, .256/.302/.422, 9 XBH (3 HR), 14 RBI
WAR: 0.1

With a 156 OPS+ and 24 home runs in 77 games last season, Giancarlo Stanton showed he can make an impact even while navigating an injury-shortened season, and his .926 OPS and 18 home runs in 48 career playoff games still loom large.

However, he has not played since April 24 after suffering a calf strain and then a setback in his recovery in June. He has resumed running and taking batting practice as he looks to return for the stretch run, but thus far he has done little to earn his salary.

SS Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox

Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $23,333,333
Stats: 41 G, 54 OPS+, .206/.244/.303, 10 XBH (3 HR), 19 RBI
WAR: -0.1

After playing 163 games during his first three years in Boston, Trevor Story put together a shocking bounce-back season last year when he had a 25-homer, 31-steal, 4.1-WAR season and played 157 games.

That performance made him a candidate to opt-out of the final two years and $55 million of his contract, but he chose to return. A sports hernia has kept him sidelined since May, but before hitting the injured list his 32.4 percent strikeout rate and .206 average made him a non-factor.

OF Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $57,195,000

Stats: 118 G, 93 OPS+, .230/.326/.366, 32 XBH (11 HR), 54 RBI

WAR: 0.1

In the five seasons prior to reaching free agency for the first time this past winter, Kyle Tucker racked up 25.4 WAR with four All-Star selections, two Silver Sluggers, one Gold Glove and three 20/20 campaigns among his accolades.

That production coupled with the fact that he was still shy of his 30th birthday made him the top free agent on the market, and the Dodgers signed him to a four-year, $240 million contract.

With a 93 OPS+ and 0.1 WAR in 118 games, he has been a replacement-level player despite carrying one of the league's largest payroll figures.

RHP Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $22,025,000

Stats: 9 GS, 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 10 BB, 47 K, 45.1 IP

WAR: 1.2

When Brandon Woodruff made the surprise decision to accept his qualifying offer from the Brewers, it changed the math of their offseason, and that unexpected payroll commitment for a club that operates with a small-market budget is a big part of the conversation here.

The 33-year-old was excellent over nine starts before arm fatigue preceded a season-ending shoulder injury.

The Brewers have been one of the best teams in baseball, but Woodruff has not delivered relative to the significant slice of the payroll pie he is occupying.

DH Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

2026 Salary: $23,370,000
Stats: 86 G, 85 OPS+, .226/.307/.364, 28 XBH (8 HR), 40 RBI
WAR: -0.3

While he has not come close to replicating his MVP-level production in the years since his dynamic peak during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Christian Yelich returned to being a productive player after a few lean years.

He had a 120 OPS+ with 29 home runs and 103 RBI last season while playing in 150 games, but his production has cratered this year to a career-low 85 OPS+ in 86 games. With two seasons to go on his nine-year, $215 million contract, the Brewers will hope for some level of bounce-back down the stretch.