Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the National League Central Division

When talking about what makes a contract "bad, " a few factors come into play, like whether it hampers the team from further spending, whether they are getting the production they paid for, and whether the contract has long-term implications on the franchise.

Not known to be big spenders like the rest of the league, the NL Central has handed out some contracts that are aging horribly as they try to catch up to the rest of the National League.

Here are the ten worst contracts in the NL Central in 2024.

1) Dansby Swanson

Contract Remaining after 2024: Five years, $137M

The Chicago Cubs went on a spending spree in the 2022 offseason and one of those prized free agent signings was shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Swanson was coming off his best season as a pro, posting a .277/.329/.447 slash line with 25 home runs and 95 RBI. He made an All-Star appearance and won the Gold Glove at shortstop in the National League as a member of the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs rewarded him with a seven-year, $177M deal, the fourth-highest free agent contract during that offseason.

In 140 games this season he is slashing .234/.306/.379 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI, while Swanson hasn't been a detriment to the Cubs during his tenure, he certainly has left them wanting more for the contract he was given.

Always a plus-defender at shortstop, Swanson timed up his best offensive season in his contract year and struck a major payday thanks to other shortstops Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts setting the market with massive contracts.

With his contract running into his late thirties, it's hard to believe that Swanson will be a $25M caliber player at the end of his deal with the Cubs.

His age combined with a drop in production at the plate has the 30-year-old shortstops contract as the worst currently in the NL Central.

3) Miles Mikolas

Contract Remaining after 2024: One year, $17.6M

Signed to a two-year, $40M contract extension before the start of the 2023 season, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas has had two of the worst seasons of his career since the ink dried.

After going 9-13 with a 4.78 ERA and leading the MLB in hits allowed and the third-most earned runs in 2023, Mikolas has followed up with another disastrous performance in 2024.

Currently 8-11 with a 5.49 ERA,1.29 WHIP, and 183 hits allowed in 29 starts this season, his ERA is the highest in all of baseball amongst qualified starters, and has allowed the third-most hits in the MLB. Over his last 15 starts his numbers have been even worse, posting a 6.48 ERA while allowing more earned runs (55) than strikeouts (50) during that span.

While he is only under contract for one more season, marching Mikolas out every five days would be detrimental to the Cardinals as he has shown incapable of providing serviceable innings over the last two seasons.

With multiple young pitching options that could fill in for a fraction of the price including rising left-hander Quinn Mathews and right-hander Michael McGreevy, the Cardinals should exhaust every avenue to try and part ways with Mikolas, even if they have to eat a chunk of the money still owed to him if the Cardinals want to find the success that has escaped the franchise in recent seasons.

4) Ke'Bryan Hayes

Contract Remaining after 2024: Five years, $37M

Ranked as the number nine prospect in the MLB in 2021, Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes was once viewed as a future cornerstone for the franchise.

The Pirates locked Hayes into a seven-year, $70M deal before the start of his second season, but the returns on that contract have been subpar.

Since signing the contract Hayes has hit only 26 home runs while driving in 127 runs in 356 games with the Pirates, well below the production they expected when locking him into a long-term deal.

Outside of his career year in 2023 that saw him slash .271/.309/.453 with career-highs in both home runs (15) and RBI (61) while winning the National League Gold Glove award at third base, his lack of development has been a major blow to the Pirates future outlook.

While the remainder of his contract could be considered team-friendly, Hayes is already being out-produced by the other third baseman on his team in Jared Triolo, who is making only $745,000 this season.

Hayes is one of the premier defensive third basemen in baseball, but that will only take you so far if he can't improve his production at the plate.

Although his contract won't deter the Pirates from future spending continue to be a major disappointment until he can turn things around offensively.

5) Steven Matz

Contract Remaining after 2024: One year, $12.5M

Another Cardinal that makes the list of worst contracts is pitcher Steven Matz, who was signed to a four-year, $44M contract in the 2022 offseason.

Since signing Matz has not been able to put together a full season due to injuries, even though he closed out 2023 strong posting a 3.86 ERA in 25 games with the Cardinals.

Matz has only thrown a combined 191.1 innings as a member of the Cardinals, with only 12 games remaining in the 2024 season to add to that total.

Matz made six starts to begin the 2024 season before falling victim to a lower back strain that has kept him out until recently. He made one start in his return but has now been relegated to the bullpen, where he has been slightly more effective.

In his new role in the bullpen, Matz's contract would slot him in as the sixth-highest-paid reliever in the MLB.

With his durability being a major question mark, the shift to the bullpen is likely the Cardinals being safe with him as they close out another disappointing season, with the hopes of him opening the 2025 season as a piece of their rotation.

2025 will be the last chance Matz has to right the ship, but his tenure with the Cardinals is looking like yet another free-agent disappointment in their recent history.

6) Nolan Arenado

Contract Remaining after 2024: Three years, $52M

The third and final Cardinal on the list, third baseman Nolan Arenado hasn't been a complete failure in 2024 but given the expectations he has been far from the player he has been in the past.

The 33-year-old is nearing the end of his worst season as a professional, posting a .265/.317/.391 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI in 144 games played. His OPS is the second-lowest amongst qualified third basemen in the MLB and he is currently on pace for the lowest total of extra-base hits in his 12-year career.

While his defense has remained above average, the lack of power is alarming as he heads into next season as he has seen his offensive output continue to decline for the second season in a row.

With Arenado due $21M in 2025, $16M in 2026, and $15M in 2027, the contract gets more reasonable as the years go by, but whether he will still be producing at a high enough level by then remains a major question mark.

The Cardinals' payroll currently sits at the 12th-highest in the MLB and all five players atop their payroll have given them below-average production in 2024, which has been a major part in them missing the postseason for a second straight season.

As he continues to make his case for the Hall-of-Fame, Arenado and the Cardinals hope a bounce-back is in store for the remainder of his contract.

7) Jeimer Candelario

Contract Remaining after 2024: Two years, $27M

Signed to a three-year, $45M contract this past offseason, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario has put together a disappointing first season with the club.

Brought in to add another power bat to the middle of their lineup, Candelario has slugged 20 home runs for the Reds only two off of his career-high of 22 set last season but his poor defense and his overall production haven't quite lined up with his salary.

With a loaded infield heading into 2025 including the return of Matt McClain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Candelario will not only have to fight them off for playing time but he could very well see mid-season acquisition Ty France also eat into his playing time.

Candelario's contract is starting to look eerily similar to another free-agent failure by the Reds that they just finished paying off in 2023.

8) Cody Bellinger

Contract Remaining after 2024: Two years, $52.5M

After having a career resurgence last season as a member of the Chicago Cubs, outfielder Cody Bellinger ended up re-signing with the team this past offseason for three years, $80M.

The 2019 National League MVP is having a solid season for the Cubs in 2024, but is far from the production they would have hoped when coming to terms with the 28-year-old.

Currently slashing .270/.332/.438 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI in 121 games played, the Cubs hoped for more out of their cleanup hitter in his second season with the club.

Bellinger has an opt-out after this season to become an unrestricted free agent but it is hard to see a team giving him a more lucrative deal for him to leave the $52.5M he is guaranteed to make over the next two seasons.

If Bellinger plays out the remainder of his contract in Chicago, he will enter free agency in 2027 at only 31 years old and will have a chance to earn another big contract before his career is over but as of now, he is not giving the team the production that they paid for.

9) Rhys Hoskins

Contract Remaining after 2024: One year, $18M

After missing all of the 2023 season with a torn ACL suffered in spring training as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, first baseman Rhys Hoskins signed a two-year, $34M contract with the Milwaukee Brewers this past offseason.

In his first year with the Brewers, Hoskins has slugged 24 home runs but has seen his production dip in every other category. A career .242 hitter in six seasons with the Phillies, Hoskins is producing career lows in both batting average (.209) and doubles (11) this season.

The 31-year-old has turned into a home run-or-nothing type of hitter and is very unlikely to opt out of the $18M he is due to make next season. while his struggles haven't caused the Brewers to falter they were likely hoping for Hoskins to be more of the hitter he was while with the Phillies when agreeing to the deal.

10) Emilio Pagan

Contract Remaining after 2024: One year, $8M

Signed to a two-year, $16M contract this past offseason, Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan has had a solid first season but at a steep price for a middle relief pitcher.

With a 4-4 record this season and a 3.47 ERA in 36 games, Pagan missed a big chunk of the season with a lat strain, and over his last 15 appearances, he has shown the Reds the player they were hoping to see when he was originally signed posting a 2.65 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 17 innings pitched.

Pagan holds a player option after this season and could opt out of the remaining one year, $8M left on his deal but it's unlikely that he will pass up the guaranteed money given how volatile the relief pitcher market can be.

The Reds entered the 2024 season with high hopes that have floundered, so having a relief pitcher making $8M on the payroll that's not closing isn't ideal for a team that has only one playoff appearance since 2014.