Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the National League Central Division

While teams in the NL Central have rarely been big spenders, over the past few season there have been some questionable contracts handed out and today we will breakdown the worst of the worst.

Miles Mikolas on the mound as the Cardinals take on the Milwaukee Brewers
Miles Mikolas on the mound as the Cardinals take on the Milwaukee Brewers | Dilip Vishwanat/GettyImages
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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.

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