The One Contract Holding Back the New York Yankees

It's become second nature for New York Yankees fans to hate on outfielder Giancarlo Stanton because he didn't set the world on fire with his play last year and was already dealing with injuries out of the gate before the MLB season got postponed, but many forget that when healthy, there are few players in all of baseball that pose more of a threat on offense than No. 27 given his power.

What isn't up for debate, however, is the fact that Stanton's albatross of a contract is going to be a major obstacle for the Yankees in the near future. He's on the books for most of the next decade.

Stanton signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins, which was ridiculous then and is ridiculous now. He won't be a free agent until his age-39 season in 2029. And the annual breakdown is not good.

Stanton's time with the Yankees has been a mixed bag. On one hand, he hit 38 home runs and drove in 100 in 2018 despite nearly everyone else in the lineup missing time with injuries. He also had some big hits in the postseason, especially against the Houston Astros in the ALCS. On the other hand, he has struggled to stay healthy, which limited him to a handful of games in 2019.

Not what you want from a $325 million man.

Stanton could be in for a bounce-back season once play resumes, but there's no denying that his contract is going to be a strain on the Yankees as time wears on.