Craig Edwards, Special to ESPN.com 6y

Which players give their teams the best return on investment?

MLB, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants

When looking for the worst contracts in baseball, examining massive free-agent deals helps narrow down the potential list of albatrosses. To find the best contracts, free agency is rarely a help. When players have their choice of teams and can create a market, the highest bidder often prevails. To strike a good deal for a team, front offices target players further away from free agency, offering life-changing money in exchange for giving away those precious free-agent opportunities.

What follows are the best contracts for teams considering money owed and expected performance. Players who are currently in the arbitration process -- such as Kris Bryant -- or have yet to reach arbitration -- such as Carlos Correa and Shohei Ohtani -- are not considered here as they have yet to sign a long-term deal with their teams.

^ Back to Top ^