Red Sox $140 million contract named worst in baseball

Every Major League Baseball team has at least one contract that they are likely to regret for whatever reason.

Large MLB contracts usually age badly due to declining performance and injury.

The Boston Red Sox’s most likely regrettable contract is that of shortstop Trevor Story. According to Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly, Story’s six-year, $140 million contract is the worst in the organization heading into the 2025 season. The Red Sox owe Story $72.5 million from 2025 to 2027.

Story, 32, was one of the best shortstops in baseball during his six seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He hit 24 or more home runs every season in Colorado, with the exception of the 2020 season, which was truncated to 60 games due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Story was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019, and he concluded his career with the Rockies with an OPS+ of 112.

Boston signed Story in March 2022, but he has appeared in only 163 of the club’s 486 regular-season games since then. Numerous injuries have disrupted his career path. Story’s hand and heel contusions limited him to 94 games in 2022. In 2023, elbow surgery limited him to 43 games, while shoulder surgery in 2024 kept him out of all but 26 games. The Red Sox did not anticipate Story to return last year, but he was reinstated from the 60-day IL on September 7.

When Story hits the field, he resembles a shell of his former self, particularly at the plate. Story’s OPS in three seasons in Boston is.693, down 170 points from his.863 OPS in Colorado. It’s understandable that getting back into the groove with limited availability and playing time can be difficult. Still, manager Alex Cora and the front office must worry if the shortstop will ever regain his All-Star status.

Story’s contract contains a player opt-out clause after 2025. Regardless of how he performs this season, the veteran is certain to opt in. In the free agency market, Story’s annual salary would be far less than it is currently.