The Most Overpaid Player on Every MLB Team

Everyday, MLB general managers take gambles on players that they pray will work out. Sometimes, they do. Other times, they turn out to be nightmares.

There are multiple players in MLB who get much more money than they deserve, and there's at least one on every team.

30. Arizona Diamondbacks - Robbie Ray

Robbie Ray is earning almost 10% of all the DBacks' spending in 2020. / Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

According to Baseball Prospectus, the Arizona Diamondbacks are paying Robbie Ray almost $10 million in 2020. Starling Marte is making $10 million. Is Ray's 4.34 ERA worth as much as Marte's .295 batting average and 23 home runs?

29. Atlanta Braves - Mark Melancon

Mark Melancon was picked up by the Braves for bullpen purposes but pitched badly when he was needed. / Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Mark Melancon was a 2019 midseason acquisition for the Atlanta Braves. He was traded from the San Francisco Giants as a closer, but only got 11 saves after he was dealt and pitched to a 12.00 ERA in the playoffs. Despite this, his 2020 salary is $14 million.

28. Baltimore Orioles - Chris Davis

Chris Davis is earning 43% of the Orioles spending in 2020. / Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Chris Davis is the poster boy for overpaid players. Making over $21 million in 2020, Davis is going to earn 43% of the Orioles payroll. He's attempting to justify his salary by setting the MLB record for most at-bats without a hit.

27. Boston Red Sox - Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia will always be a Red Sox legend, but he is not earning the money he is getting. / Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Dustin Pedroia will always be a fan-favorite in Boston. However, his 31 combined at-bats in the last two seasons do not justify his $13 million annual contract. He hasn't played more than 100 games since 2017.

26. Chicago Cubs - Jason Heyward

Prior to 2016 Heyward and the Cubs agreed to an 8-year, $184 million contract. / Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Although he has improved in recent years, Jason Heyward's .251 average with 21 home runs and 68 RBI aren't enough to justify his $21 million annual salary. He's earning over 10% of the Cubs 2020 payroll.

25. Chicago White Sox - Dallas Keuchel

Dallas Keuchel's health and performance don't warrant a nearly $20 million salary. / Ron Vesely/Getty Images

Dallas Keuchel missed a majority of 2019 after not signing until June. In only 19 games, he pitched to a 3.75 ERA. That's good, but not worth the $18 million he's making.

24. Cincinnati Reds - Trevor Bauer

Trevor Bauer was elite for a few years, but a lackluster 2019 brings skepticism. / Norm Hall/Getty Images

During his time with the Cleveland Indians, Trevor Bauer was one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 2019, however, in stints with both the Indians and Reds, Bauer pitched to the tune of a 4.48 ERA. That's not a $17.5 million ERA.

23. Cleveland Indians - Cesar Hernandez

Cesar Hernandez is overpriced and coming to Cleveland from Philly. / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Cesar Hernandez hit his peak in 2016 and 2017 and fell off in Philadelphia. Now, he comes to Cleveland on a $6.25 million per year contract, which takes up 7.76% of the payroll. His 2.5 WAR in 2019 isn't worth that sizable chunk, for the low-spending team that's mostly kept albatrosses off its payroll.

22. Colorado Rockies - Wade Davis

Wade Davis has had two consecutive disappointing seasons. / Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

In 2018, former All-Star Wade Davis pitched to a 4.13 ERA. In 2019, he had an incredulous 8.65 ERA, becoming the latest pitcher to implode in the high altitude. He is still making $17 million. Something doesn't add up.

21. Detroit Tigers - Jordan Zimmermann

Jordan Zimmermann is, unfortunately, not the pitcher he once was. / Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Jordan Zimmermann has not pitched to an ERA under 4.50 since 2015. The 11-year veteran's salary, when combined with Miguel Cabrera's contract, accounts for almost 60% of all the Tigers' spending in 2020, with Zimmermann earning $25 million.

20. Houston Astros - Josh Reddick

Josh Reddick seemed to disappear late in the season for the Astros in 2019. / Elsa/Getty Images

Josh Reddick was nowhere to be found in the Astros' 2019 playoff run. A guy making $13 million in 2020 should be making in impact when it matters most. He, instead, hit .167.

19. Kansas City Royals - Danny Duffy

The Royals don't have a lot of money, but they're giving a lot of it to Danny Duffy. / Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Danny Duffy has been in Kansas City since his debut in 2011, and has struggled to keep an ERA below 4.00. Despite this, the Royals are still paying him $15.25 million in 2020.

18. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols is grossly overpaid for his lack of production in Los Angeles. / Kent Horner/Getty Images

Because of his all-time great status, people don't like to look at Albert Pujols for what he is: overpaid. While making $29 million in 2020, Pujols hasn't hit over .250 or over 25 home runs since 2016.

17. Los Angeles Dodgers - Kenley Jansen

Kenley Jansen is earning more than NL MVP Cody Bellinger. / Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

A man known for his playoff chokejobs, Kenley Jansen is an $18 million man who pitched to just an 0.2 WAR last year with eight blown saves for the Dodgers.

16. Miami Marlins - Miguel Rojas

Miguel Rojas has played for too long to still be getting less than 50 RBI. / Mark Brown/Getty Images

Six-year veteran Miguel Rojas may only be making $4.75 million, but that's over 10% of the Marlins' 2020 spending. To be making that percentage and still not be able to crack 50 RBI, as he had 46 last year, is an issue.

15. Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun is earning too large of a chunk of the Brewers spending. / Rob Carr/Getty Images

Ryan Braun had a bit of a resurgence this past season, but it's not enough to justify his $17 million salary being the largest salary on the Brewers roster. .285 with 75 RBI isn't worth $17 million per year.

14. Minnesota Twins - Homer Bailey

No one ever thought Homer Bailey would leave the Reds, but he's now getting overpaid by the Twins. / Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

Reds legend Homer Bailey has a new home in 2020, making $7 million with the Twins. However, is a guy whose ERA hasn't been under 4.50 since 2014 worth that much money?

13. New York Mets - Jed Lowrie

The Mets' Jed Lowrie signing was hailed as a great signing, until he didn't play at all in 2019. / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

When the Mets signed Jed Lowrie, the baseball world hailed it as a great signing. Lowrie didn't play until September, and got seven at-bats all year. There's no room for him to start at Citi Field in 2020, despite his $11.5 million salary.

12. New York Yankees - JA Happ

J.A. Happ was valuable for the Yankees in 2019, but not worth what he's being paid. / Tim Warner/Getty Images

J.A. Happ ate innings for the Yankees in 2019, but his regression was not worth $17 million per year. He posted a 4.91 ERA and gave up a walk-off home run to Carlos Correa in Game 2 of the ALCS.

11. Oakland Athletics - Joakim Soria

Joakim Soria didn't perform when it mattered in 2019. / Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

For the A's to be paying Joakim Soria $8.5 million, third-highest on the roster, and for him to lack so much value that they didn't even use him in the 2019 AL Wild Card Game isn't good. His 4.30 ERA in the regular season didn't help either.

10. Philadelphia Phillies - Jake Arrieta

Jake Arrieta is not worth what the Phillies bought him for. / Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Phillies got Jake Arrieta for $20 million per year coming off of four straight elite seasons with the Cubs. His ERA has continually climbed ever since, culminating in a 2019 ERA of 4.64 and a WAR of 0.9, while elbow issues sapped his effectiveness. That's not worth $20 million.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates - Chris Archer

Chris Archer was supposed to be much more valuable when he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays. / Justin Berl/Getty Images

Chris Archer was at one point an All-Star with the Tampa Bay Rays. Now in Pittsburgh, Archer had a 5.19 ERA in 2019, which is getting him paid $9 million per year, good for over 17% of the Pirates payroll.

8. San Diego Padres - Wil Myers

The 2013 AL Rookie of the Year has been disappointing since he arrived in San Diego. / Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Wil Myers was supposed to be the next big star after debuting with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013. After 2014, he was traded to the Padres, where he has now made himself notorious as one of the most overpaid players in baseball. A -0.3 WAR in 2019 will get him $22.5 million in 2020, and he may be salary dumped to the Red Sox shortly, with prospects attached.

7. San Francisco Giants - Johnny Cueto

Johnny Cueto has been spotty ever since is arrival to the Bay. / Robert Reiners/Getty Images

Johnny Cueto will net $21.5 million in 2020 fresh off of Tommy John Surgery. In the past two seasons combined, Cueto has pitched in just 13 games. In his last full season in 2017, he pitched to a 4.52 ERA.

6. Seattle Mariners - Yusei Kikuchi

Kikuchi was bought by the Mariners for over $20 million per year and has underwhelmed. / Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

The Mariners thought they had struck gold with Yusei Kikuchi last offseason, but a 5.46 ERA in 2019 made the team realize how much they overpaid the Japanese star. He underwhelmed, but is still getting paid $15.5 million in 2020.

5. St. Louis Cardinals - Matt Carpenter

Carpenter is still a fan-favorite but isn't worth his paycheck. / Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Matt Carpenter has been on a steady decline since his last All-Star season in 2016. He hit .226 in 2019 with less than 100 hits and an 0.8 WAR, and is still getting paid $18.5 million in 2020.

4. Tampa Bay Rays - Mike Zuinino

Mike Zunino isn't paid a lot but isn't worth what he's paid. / John McCoy/Getty Images

Mike Zunino will only be paid $4.5 million in 2020. However, in 2019, he had a -0.1 WAR and a .165 batting average, and was quickly replaced by Travis d'Arnaud. Also, the $4.5 million is worth 7.5% of the Rays' 2020 payroll.

3. Texas Rangers - Shin-Soo Choo

Shin-Soo Choo had some good years but isn't worth anywhere near his contract value. / Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

Shin-Soo Choo had a few solid years in Cleveland and Cincinnati that even saw him earn a smattering of MVP votes. However, since arriving in Arlington, he hasn't been able to produce a $21 million per year performance. His .265 batting average, 24 home runs, and 61 RBI in 2019 aren't worthy of that contract.

2. Toronto Blue Jays - Randal Grichuk

Randal Grichuk isn't worth his contract that's over $10 million. / Will Newton/Getty Images

The Blue Jays had high expectations for Randal Grichuk after acquiring him from the Cardinals, but he has failed to live up to his $13 million per year contract. A .232 batting average in 2019 and an 0.3 WAR aren't worth his yearly salary.

1. Washington Nationals - Kurt Suzuki

Kurt Suzuki came up big in the playoffs but was inconsistent in the regular season. / Will Newton/Getty Images

Kurt Suzuki is only earning $6 million in 2020, but he is entering his age-36 season, and is coming off a year in which he only had an 0.4 WAR. He had playoff success, but with the way the NL East is supposed to be in 2020, he needs to perform better in the regular season to even get his team to October.