From the drawers of the Top Secret Files:
Less than a week before Christmas and the glorious holiday season, notable MLB stars are truly enjoying the good life.
For instance, big names like Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander — age is no factor for him — Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner are dancing around the Christmas tree, rejoicing after signing huge, lengthy free-agent contracts or extensions in the past two-plus weeks.
Judge, the recent AL Most Valuable Player who broke the Yankees’ and league’s all-time single-season home run record with 62, was rewarded the most lucrative free-agent contract in MLB history.
Superstars are uttering out loud, “Baseball is very, very, very good to me.” That’s an old line from the heydays of “Saturday Night Live.”
MLB owners — for now — have no regrets shedding huge monetary contracts for megastars in return for huge dividends in a future October.
Just look at the lettuce that’s eventually going to these big names either via free-agent signing or team extension beginning next season and continuing for future years, and their age when the deal expires:
■ Correa, Giants — 13 years, $350 million, Age 41;
■ Turner, Phillies — 11 years, $300 million, 40;
■ Bogaerts, Padres — 11 years, $280 million, 41;
■ Judge, Yankees — 9 years, $360 million, 39;
■ Brandon Nimmo, Mets — 8 years, $162 million, 37;
■ Dansby Swanson, Cubs — 7 years, $177 million, 35;
■ Carlos Rodon, Yankees — 6 years, $162 years, 36;
■ deGrom, Rangers — 5 years, $185 million, 39;
■ Edwin Diaz, Mets — 5 years, $102 million, 33;
■ Willson Contreras, Cardinals — 5 years, $87.5 million, 35;
■ Andrew Benintendi, White Sox — 5 years, $75 million, 33;
■ Taijuan Walker, Phillies — 4 years, $72 million, 34;
■ Jameson Taillon, Cubs — 4 years, $68 million, 35;
■ Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays — 3 years, $63 million, 36;
■ Jose Abreu, Astros — 3 years, $58.5 million, 38;
■ Verlander, Mets — 2 years, $86 million, 41;
■ Shohei Ohtani, Angels — 1 year, $30 million, 29.
■ Trivia question: The Twins recently signed free-agent outfielder Joey Gallo, who is second in MLB history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts over 715 games. Who hit that benchmark in fewer games?
■ Richie Rich’s Top 10 rankings in the NFL: 1. Eagles; 2. Bills; 3. Bengals; 4. Chiefs; 5. 49ers; 6. Vikings; 7. Chargers; 8. Cowboys; 9. Dolphins; 10. Lions.
■ Trivia answer: Former Twins infielder Miguel Sano, now a free agent, did the feat in 661 career games.
Times sports copy editor Richard Fyle can be reached at [email protected]
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