Mike Trout signs largest contract in the history of sports

The talented slugger signed a 12 year/$430 million contract Tuesday

John Laforest
Staff Writer

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels broke the bank on Tuesday after signing a 12- year, $430 million contract with the team, finalizing the largest contract in professional sports history. 

The deal pushed past Bryce Harper and Manny Machado’s contracts that were signed earlier this offseason, at $330 million and $300 million respectively. 

Harper even had comments on the contract after he was warned with tampering for saying earlier this week in wanted to recruit Trout who is from the Philadelphia area. He said, “I texted him when the news broke. Very excited for what’s to come for him and his contract and his career and looking forward to it.”

At age 26, Trout has already put up a Hall of Fame career. He’s won two MVP awards and finished second in the voting four times. He has compiled the highest career WAR through his age of any position player in history,

Trout has been regarded as the best player in the baseball for some time now and the Angels decided to center their future around their MVP. The gap between Trout and the second-best player seems highly significant after this contract. The deal sends the message that they believe Trout is their man in every facet of the game. 

One thing that should stick out for concern for the Angels regarding Trout is that the team is yet to win a playoff game since he’s played with the team. 

In his seven full seasons with the Angels, they’ve only made the post season once and were swept in three games. The Astros have been dominated by the AL West the last couple of years, with the team finishing under .500 the past three seasons.

Getting Albert Pujols, Justin Upton and Josh Hamilton’s contract off their books will help the Angels in the future. These big contracts have made the Angels activity in free agency throughout the past few off seasons low up to the team’s standard. The Angels can start spending more money and make themselves competitive again in the upcoming years with some of these contracts getting off the books. 

Growing the team under the farm system can deliver a better outlook for the future of the team Under general manager Billy Eppler, the farm system has improved dramatically in a short period.

Keith Law of ESPN ranked the team’s farm system seventh,up from No. 19 in 2018, which in turn was up from 27th in 2017 and 30th in 2016, when it rated as one of the worst farm systems in recent memory. Teams like the Chicago Cubs have used this same system to build a winning culture in recent years. 

The Angels recent season have not produced the best outcomes but will look to continue to move forward with the farm system and the best player in the world.

Header photo courtesy of the Associated Press.