Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the American League East

More Articles About the Worst of the Yankees:

8. Jose Berrios – 7 Years, $131 Million Remaining

Berrios’ deal was signed just before the 2022 season opened, and so far, the returns have been largely questionable.

Yes, Toronto had to finalize a long-term pact to justify surrendering Austin Martin, one of their blue-chip infield prospects, at the 2021 deadline. But … 35 strikeouts in 47.1 innings with a 4.75 ERA in Year 1 of 7 does not an exceptional contract make.

Berrios ranks so far back on this list because he has so much runway left to reestablish himself and is still just 27 years old, meaning his entire high-dollar prime will be spent in Toronto with one of the game’s best offenses. But the early going has not been kind to the electric righty with the sweeping breaking ball.

And when you look to the Statcast metrics? Things get even bleaker.

In a season entirely comprised of a small sample size thus far, it’s highly possible to turn things around in the blink of an eye. Just look at what happened last week to Trevor Story (more on him in a bit).

As of May 24, though, Berrios ranks in the 12th percentile in average exit velocity, 15th percentile in hard-hit rate, 5th percentile in xWOBA, and so on and so on and SO blue. Nothing about his profile thus far is encouraging for predicting future performance.

And that future is locked in at six years following 2022 in Toronto “anchoring” the rotation in all the wrong ways.