Back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal enters free agency this winter and is expected to secure the richest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history. The record is currently held by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Historical Pitcher Contracts and Records
Skubal earned consecutive American League Cy Young Awards with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Dodgers in the summer as the Tigers anticipated being unable to retain their homegrown left-hander in free agency. Yamamoto’s 12-year deal with the Dodgers upon arriving from Japan surpassed the previous record set by Gerrit Cole, who agreed to a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees prior to the 2020 season. Cole’s agreement came just days after Stephen Strasburg’s $245 million contract temporarily became the largest in baseball history. Meanwhile, the largest contract for a left-handed pitcher belongs to Max Fried, who signed an eight-year deal with the Yankees following the 2024 season.
The 20 Largest MLB Pitcher Contracts
As Skubal prepares to challenge historical figures, the list of the biggest pitcher contracts in present-day value calculated by the MLB Labor Relations Department features several prominent names:
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers — $325 million (12 years, 2024-2035)
Gerrit Cole, Yankees – $324 million (9 years, 2020-2028)
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals – $245 million (7 years, 2020-2026)
Max Fried, Yankees – $218 million (8 years, 2025-2032)
David Price, Red Sox – $217 million (7 years, 2016-2022)
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers – $215 million (7 years, 2014-2020 extension)
Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks – $210 million (6 years, 2025-2030)
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays – $210 million (7 years, 2026-2032)
Max Scherzer, Nationals – $210 million (7 years, 2015-2021)
Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks – $206.5 million (6 years, 2016-2021)
Jacob DeGrom, Rangers – $185 million (5 years, 2023-2027)
Blake Snell, Dodgers – $182 million (5 years, 2025-2029)
Justin Verlander, Tigers – $180 million (7 years, 2013-2019 extension)
Felix Hernandez, Mariners – $175 million (7 years, 2013-2019 extension)
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals – $175 million (7 years, 2017-2023 extension, opted out after 2019)
Aaron Nola, Phillies – $172 million (7 years, 2024-2031)
Garrett Crochet, Red Sox – $170 million (6 years, 2026-2031 extension)
Carlos Rodon, Yankees – $162 million (6 years, 2023-2028)
Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees – $155 million (7 years, 2014-2020)
Jon Lester, Cubs – $155 million (6 years, 2015-2020)
Skubal celebrates his 30th birthday on November 20 as negotiations and team interest build ahead of the winter market.
