The calendar has given way to September and the last month of the MLB regular season is officially underway. There were a few names that stood out earlier in the season thanks to their big contracts. Let’s check in on MLB’s biggest deals as the season winds down.
Nolan Arenado
Arenado signed an 8-year $260 million contract extension with Colorado making him the face of the franchise. It seemed as if the third baseman would be a key piece for a team that hoped to compete for the NL West pennant. The reality, however, has been very different.
The former All-Star has remained competitive despite his team’s struggles. Colorado was on the verge of breaking into the Wild Card race a few times this year but couldn’t quite get going. Arenado, however, has been the soul of the Rockies’ offense. He is hitting .312 with 37 homers and 108 RBI. His OPS sits high as well at .953.
The first year of his extension has paid off for him. His team must pick up the pace for 2020 though.
Manny Machado
Machado arrived in San Diego hoping to be a part of a competitive team for the future. The 27-year-old has turned into a fan favorite in San Diego. His performance has remained mostly unchanged as the Miami native has done well during the MLB regular season.
Manny has posted similar numbers to previous seasons through the year. He is hitting .264 with 28 homers and 76 RBI. Machado hit .297 with 37 long balls and 107 RBI by the end of the season. He’s not quite there yet, but there’s some baseball left to play.
Bryce Harper
The Phillies brought Harper to Philadelphia with the sole purpose of winning a World Series. The Phillies will pay a lot of money over the next decade or so trying to get one, $300 million to be exact. While he has certainly tried to help Philadelphia’s cause, there are some things left to be desired.
Harper has looked impatient at the plate. In fact, he has struck out 26.3 percent of his plate appearances. He has 100 RBI for the season and is hitting .255 with 30 homers. While he has hit some bumps along the road with his new team, he has done well enough to please the tough crowds in Philly.
Mike Trout
The biggest contract of them all has shined despite his team’s poor performance. Mike Trout has made it a mission to shine in the middle of the Angels’ 2019 mess. At this point in the season, he’s much more than the face of the franchise. He’s the reason for fans to come to the ballpark.
Trout is hitting .290. As good as that batting average is, it might be the least impressive of his stats. The Angels’ outfielder has stacked up RBI as he has batted in 102 runs so far. His OPS is through the roof at 1.078 as he leads all of baseball with 108 walks. Lastly but by no means least, he broke his personal home run record with an AL-leading 44 long balls. All the while his team sits at the bottom of the AL West.
Off The Hook
One of the beauties of the sport is that it allows for good individual performances inside mediocre collective ones. Therefore, most of the biggest deals in the MLB are off the hook for the rest of the season. Arenado and Trout are nowhere near the playoff race and they will enjoy a well-deserved vacation once the season’s over. Meanwhile, Machado isn’t expected to be part of a competitive team just yet, he has done well enough, nonetheless.
Embed from Getty ImagesHarper, on the other hand, is a completely different story. The Phillies are still well into the Postseason race and they might sneak in as a Wild Card. If he gets cold come playoff time, Philly might forget his regular season performance. The 2019 MLB Postseason, if it arrives, might make or break Harper’s future relations with the home crowd.
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