Wainwright signed a new one-year deal with the Cardinals on Thursday night. The deal's announcement was erroneously captioned on a television news channel's chyron on Friday. Wainwright made sure to get a screenshot before having even more fun with it.
The new deal was made official on Friday, and Wainwright even showed up to the press conference on Zoom wearing a Yadier Molina catcher's mask that could have easily been mistaken for a goalie mask.
The Los Angeles Angels signed the superstar outfielder to a 10-year contract extension that kicks in after the 2020 season. Folded into the remaining two years of his present deal, Trout is set to earn $426.5 million overall.
But how does it compare to the biggest contracts in sports? Here, we take a look at the biggest deals to ever be signed across various leagues and promotions.
Note: The financial figures below are all reported deals. The ranking is determined by total value of contract and not by annual average.
Association Football: Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain ($600+ million)
FRANCK FIFE / AFP / Getty
In 2017, Neymar left Barcelona for Paris and became β¬500 million richer in the process. That incredible deal includes bonuses over a five-year period with the club. Not only that, but Paris Saint-Germain paid a record β¬222-million transfer fee to his former team.
Soccer has a slew of oversized contracts that rival, and exceed, the exorbitant deals signed throughout Major League Baseball. Lionel Messi is earning approximately $35.8 million per season with Barcelona, according to USA TODAY Sports, while Cristiano Ronaldo is banking $35.2 million every year with Juventus over his four-year contract.
MLB: Trout, Angels ($426.5 million)
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No North American contract compares in terms of sheer volume. Few star athletes eclipse even the $300-million plateau, and Trout is getting more than $100 million on top of that. The deal he signed on Tuesday has him making $36 million annually starting in 2021 and is the most lucrative in baseball history. The pact will keep him in California through the 2030 season, which could be the rest of his career.
Harper is a distant second in MLB at $330 million with Giancarlo Stanton ($325 million) and Manny Machado ($300 million) close behind.
Boxing: Canelo Alvarez ($365 million)
Tom Hogan / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Before Trout's contract shook the sports world, the largest contract belonged to Alvarez. He inked a five-year, 11-fight contract with DAZN worth $365 million in 2018. On an annual scale, his deal still dwarfs everyone else as Alvarez is paid $73 million per year through 2023.
NBA: James Harden, Rockets ($228 million)
Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport / Getty
In July 2017, Harden became basketball's most affluent player when he inked a four-year extension with the Houston Rockets. His $160-million deal folded into the remaining two years of his previous contract made the entire agreement worth a whopping $228 million.
Harden's contract came about a week after Stephen Curry signed a five-year, $201-million extension with the Golden State Warriors. Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has Curry beat, earning $205 million over a five-year period through 2023. They may not match Trout's total, but their annual salaries are at another level.
NFL: Matt Ryan, Falcons ($150 million)
Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Ryan became the NFL's highest-paid player last year when he signed a five-year, $150-million extension. Unlike other leagues, that total isn't fully guaranteed over the life of the deal, but it's still the largest number put to paper for a gridiron athlete. Despite this, the contract reportedly includes $100 million guaranteed, which is also a league record.
Continuing the trend of usurping the previous money king in short succession, Ryan took the mantle from Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins less than two months after his record-setting contract.
NHL: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals ($124 million)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Ovechkin's 13-year contract is a bit unique as eight-year deals now represent the longest available to a player under the current CBA. With a salary cap in place, it may be a while before someone comes close to challenging Ovie's title.
In terms of yearly earnings, however, several players have inked more lucrative deals. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid ($12.5 million), Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews ($11.6 million), and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty ($11 million) are among the players who earn more annually, according to Spotrac.
It's yet another instance where Sweden has dominated throughout the preliminary round of the tournament before underwhelming in the medal rounds.
Since 2008, Sweden has gone a stunning 48-0 during the WHJC prelims, only to stumble to a 13-15 record in medal round games, according to Gord Miller of TSN.
Yannick Bruschweiler opened the scoring for Switzerland in the first period, and Luca Wyss followed it up with an insurance marker partway through the second.
Switzerland will play the winner of Wednesday night's game between Canada and Finland in the semifinals.
A native of Las Vegas, his hometown Vegas Golden Knights have stormed to a 2-1 series lead against the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL's Western Conference Final during their inaugural season. And Harper's been on pins and needles.
"I get more nervous watching them than anything I've ever done in my life," Harper told Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports prior to the Golden Knights' Game 3 victory. "Even playing ball. I don't get nervous watching my team or when I play at all. I really don't.
"But when Iβm watching them, I get so nervous. Iβll sit on the couch with my wife, going nuts."
It's inspired a new fandom, and perhaps an avenue for his future children to pursue.
"I've fallen in love with hockey," Harper says. "When we have kids, I want them to play hockey. How awesome would that be? I can't imagine being on the ice and playing such a cool sport."
It's possible his newly beloved Golden Knights wind up squaring off against his adopted hometown Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Final, and it's something he's already thinking about.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, December 31:
Triple Threat
C Tyler Johnson (58K), Ondrej Palat (54K), Nikita Kucherov (61K), Lightning (vs. Hurricanes): The "Triplets" get a potentially tired Hurricanes who played Friday against the Blackhawks. Kucherov has been the only unequivocal success with 33 points in 30 games, but the more they skate together, the better Palat's and Johnson's chances become.
C Connor McDavid (80K), LW Milan Lucic (51K), RW Jordan Eberle (57K), Oilers (vs. Canucks): McDavid's linemates are relatively affordable Saturday, so you don't have to scrimp at goalie or defense too aggressively. The Canucks have only allowed three goals over two games, but allowed eight in the two prior and have performed hideously on the road (4-12-1).
C Jeff Carter (68K), LW Tanner Pearson (52K), D Drew Doughty (49K), Kings (vs. Sharks): Carter is tied for second in the NHL with 19 goals and his 16.7 shooting percentage isn't even that crazy. Pearson and Doughty are mid-range dice-rolls who hopefully benefit from a Carter goal or two. Sharks G Martin Jones sat Friday, so he should be fresh. Consider this the contrarian stack of the day.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET/Bargain - Braden Holtby (75K), Capitals (at Devils): Holtby's a no-brainer. He's one of the best goalies in the game and comes in at a price too low to pass up, against a team that has struggled to score consistently all season. The road match shouldn't matter as his splits don't differ too wildly in terms of save percentage.
FADE - Cory Schneider (103K), Devils (vs. Capitals): Salaries should be reversed, no? In no circumstance should Schneider be priced this highly. LW Alex Ovechkin may not be scoring at his career pace, but he's still Ovechkin. Do not roster Schneider.
CONTRARIAN - Marc-Andre Fleury (106K), Penguins (vs. Canadiens): Fleury's the most expensive goalie on the slate for some reason. In his three-game win streak, he does have a .955 save percentage, though two of those games came against the anemic Devils. He won't be rostered by many, because he'll force bargain hunting, but a win would be huge in tournament play.
Bargain Plays
LW Jimmy Vesey (28K), Rangers (at Avalanche): Vesey saw a horrific seven-game point-less streak end when he tallied an assist on Wednesday. Fortunately, the Rangers are in Colorado. The Avalanche have the worst home record in hockey (4-12-1) and have allowed more goals than any team other than the Arizona Coyotes.
LW Artturi Lehkonen (28K), Canadiens (at Penguins): The rookie Lehkonen has received some time on the Habs' power play of late, and recently saw a three-game point streak come to an end. After a rough stretch to start, Lehkonen has been better in December, though there's enough uncertainty to keep his salary low.
RW Devin Setoguchi (25K), Kings (vs. Sharks): Setoguchi has been far less productive than his linemates, or he would have been included in the above Kings stack. He could still benefit from the association, but he is more likely to come up empty. He does have two points in four games, but he's a big risk. The price is right in a pinch.
Top Fades
LW Zach Parise (60K), Wild (vs. Blue Jackets): The two hottest goaltenders in the NHL are facing off in Minnesota. Spending on any forward is not advisable in this context, though Parise draws the shortest straw. He's been on a hot streak with four points in five games, but he's too inconsistent overall to trust daily, especially against Sergei Bobrovsky.
RW Kyle Palmieri (59K), Devils (vs. Capitals): Palmieri remaining anywhere close to the most expensive RWs is a bit much. He's been a far cry from the player he was in 2015-16, though his 63 hits have been his saving grace in fantasy.
C Nathan MacKinnon (69K), Avalanche (vs. Rangers): MacKinnon's splits help explain why the Avalanche have been terrible on home ice. He has nine points in 17 home games compared to 16 points in 18 games on the road. With G Henrik Lundqvist likely protecting the Rangers' net, he's not a lock to improve his numbers on Saturday.
Contrarian Options
C Joe Pavelski (75K), Sharks (at Kings): Pavelski is mostly matchup-proof, though instinct may lead some to steer clear after playing Friday. While his salary is high, he's averaged a point per game since the middle of November and had three multi-point efforts in December alone.
RW Jaromir Jagr (53K), Panthers (at Stars): The loss of C Aleksander Barkov hurts Jagr's daily potential as the two were both hitting a solid stride together. The saving grace on Saturday is the ineffectiveness of Dallas' goaltending. Bet on Jagr despite his inconsistencies and less than appealing linemates.
D Ryan Suter (36K), Wild (vs. Blue Jackets): Anticipating plenty of shots on goal, Suter may get busy in front of the net, blocking more than he usually does. This would enhance his value slightly even if he doesn't find his way into the box score otherwise. He's cheap enough, too, that he's a fine pick in a tournament while in a difficult matchup.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, December 18:
Triple Threat
C Bryan Little (45K), RW Patrik Laine (46K), D Dustin Byfuglien (52K), Jets (vs. Avalanche): Laine's points-per-game pace has slowed a bit with only a single assist in his last four, but he has been a monster at home where he has 18 points in 16 games. Byfuglien is just outside the top tier of defensemen and Little is on a three-game point streak.
C David Krejci (55K), LW Brad Marchand (71K), RW David Backes (43K), Bruins (vs. Kings): With RW David Pastrnak sidelined because of surgery, a shake-up to the lineup is likely. This trio hasn't skated together often of late, but Krejci is a better option than the higher priced Patrice Bergeron. The traveling Kings have struggled on the road.
C Joe Pavelski (72K), LW Patrick Marleau (44K), Brent Burns (72K), Sharks (at Blackhawks): You'll have to go cheap at RW, and Marleau is far from a lock, but if this contrarian line hits, it will hit big. The Blackhawks played Saturday, and got marked up to the tune of four goals despite ultimately winning. Fatigue should even the playing field.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET/BARGAIN - Sergei Bobrovsky (75K), Blue Jackets (at Canucks): Bobrovsky is in the conversation for the Vezina and the Blue Jackets haven't lost in regulation over their last 10 games. No team has allowed fewer goals, and it's in large part due to Bobrovsky. At the minimum price, against a team that has mostly struggled to score, he is a must.
FADE - Scott Darling (99K), Blackhawks (vs. Sharks): Darling is the priciest goalie on Sunday's slate. He played Saturday and is not worth investing in due to fatigue and allowing eight goals in his last two starts.
CONTRARIAN - Cory Schneider (77K), Devils (at Rangers): Schneider is a massive risk. He's allowed 14 goals in three games. He's been pelted with shots, but that doesn't excuse it. He's a more palatable risk than Darling, though, because the Rangers are on the second half of a back-to-back. Few will be bold enough to roll the dice.
Bargain Plays
RW Marian Gaborik (27K), Kings (at Bruins): Gaborik has gone point-less in three straight after notching points in four of five. He's streaky and gets minimal time with the top scorers on the roster. Still, he's priced near the minimum and even a small return can help. Stick with him in tournament formats because he could easily come up empty.
C Sam Gagner (25K), Blue Jackets (at Canucks): Ride the wave. Gagner has been the best offensive threat in Columbus during their streak. He has nine points in five games. It's likely unsustainable, but the price is right and the Canucks have allowed 10 goals in two games.
Top Fades
C Patrice Bergeron (64K), Bruins (vs. Kings): As long as Bergeron is priced this high, he can't be rostered. He has nine points in 29 games, and while bad luck is part of it, and a turnaround is likely, the results have simply not been there. He's a hold in season-long, but avoid at all costs in daily.
RW Kyle Palmieri (52K), Devils (at Rangers): Palmieri is taking fewer shots per game than he did in his breakout season a year ago, which combined with a worse shooting percentage has reduced his production drastically. The scorching Antti Raanta should be in net for New York. Palmieri is staring another goalless game in the face.
Contrarian Options
C Matt Duchene (60K), Avalanche (at Jets): Duchene and teammate Nathan MacKinnon have played far better on the road than at home. Duchene has 13 points in 12 road games, helping the team to a 7-7 record compared to a 4-10-1 home record. While this may be anomalous, his scoring potential is real, though he's been aided by a lucky 20.3 shooting percentage.
LW Daniel Sedin (61K), Canucks (vs. Blue Jackets): Hard to believe that: a) Vancouver has scored 10 goals in two games and b) Sedin has but a lone assist to show for it. Few will consider him, even at home, with Bobrovsky tending net. He and his brother remain fairly consistent on the whole, however, and his poor showings can't be focused on.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, December 17:
Triple Threat
C Ryan Johansn (62K), LW Filip Forsberg (54K), RW James Neal (58K), Predators (vs. Rangers): Both Johansen and Forsberg have been mired in bad luck, converting on only 9.0 and 4.0 percent of their shots taken, respectively. The Predators top line sees plenty of minutes on the power play and even if their bad scoring luck continues, they can easily tally helpers on Neal's likely production.
C Connor McDavid (80K), LW Milan Lucic (54K), RW Jordan Eberle (56K), Oilers (vs. Lightning): Fortunately, McDavid's linemates are inexpensive enough to string them all together. Go cheap on defense in order to afford a decent goaltender and reap the benefits even though McDavid, and his counterparts, have slightly cooled.
C Sidney Crosby (62K), RW Phil Kessel (48K), D Justin Schultz (25K), Penguins (at Maple Leafs): It's amazing this trio is as inexpensive as they are. The three are heavily featured on the Penguins' power play and are big contributors to the league's top offense. Schultz should continue to benefit from D Kris Letang's injury as he saw 27 minutes of ice time on Friday.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - Jake Allen (90K), Blues (vs. Blackhawks):Allen's numbers are mostly pedestrian, but Chicago doesn't feature the same level of firepower they once did. Beyond the Patrick Kane-Artemi Panarin line, there isn't much to fear. Take Allen in a home matchup where he figures to make a lot of saves while not allowing more than a couple to hit twine.
BARGAIN - John Gibson (75K), Ducks (at Red Wings): The Red Wings average the second fewest shots on goal per game, which could limit Gibson's upside, but he's the only goaltender listed at the minimum price for the position on Saturday's slate. Gibson's game has been uneven, with only a .908 save percentage, but should the favorite win out, he's an inexpensive source of points.
FADE - Frederik Andersen (120K), Maple Leafs (vs. Penguins): No team has scored more goals this season than the Penguins. Andersen has played well, and should face a ton of shots, but the odds of him coming out with the victory are too low to invest in him as the most expensive goalie option.
CONTRARIAN - Carey Price (83K), Canadiens (at Capitals): Price was yanked after allowing four goals on 18 shots on Friday. He was almost immediately announced as Saturday's starter. While some concern is understandable, especially against the Capitals, Price will rarely see his salary dip this low. As arguably the best goalie in the world, he's worth the gamble.
Bargain Plays
D Justin Schultz (25K), Penguins (at Maple Leafs): As mentioned, Schultz is a top option on the Penguins power play with teammate Letang sidelined. With 12 points in his last 10 games, he's been demonstrating his value even before Letang's injury. At the basement price against a suspect Maple Leafs defense, Schultz is in prime position.
RW Nail Yakupov (28K), Blues (vs. Blackhawks): Joining a line with Jaden Schwartz and Paul Stastny paid immediate dividends as Yakupov finally scored his third goal of the season Thursday night. Should he stay on this line, and maybe see some ice time with the man advantage, his returns could be massive relative to his salary.
C Valtteri Filppula (27K), Lightning (at Oilers): Filppula has four assists in the first two games of the Lightning's brief road trip through Western Canada. The Lightning are without a large section of their star players, so goals may come at a premium. Filppula is third on the team with 22 points and should add to that total once again.
Top Fades
C William Nylander (63K), Maple Leafs (vs. Penguins): Nylander's inclusion has more to do with price context than his actual ability. That he costs more than either Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, among others, is enough to avoid him. If Marc-Andre Fleury starts for Pittsburgh, it's a little more acceptable because of his struggles, but the asking price is still high.
LW Jonathan Drouin (55K), Lightning (at Oilers): Though he's had moments, and should see an expanded role due to the Lightning's litany of injuries, Drouin remains too inconsistent to trust at this price tag. He has been shooting more often, with eight SOG in his last two, but he needs a more consistent output to be trusted.
D Duncan Keith (46K), Blackhawks (at Blues):Keith has a whopping 20 assists on the season, but no goals to go with it. If you're investing this much in a blueliner, some extra scoring has to be anticipated. With Keith, it is not.
Contrarian Options
LW Max Pacioretty (66K), Canadiens (at Capitals): Washington G Braden Holtby has been predictably stellar winning four of his last five starts, allowing only eight goals on 140 shots (.943 save percentage). Pacioretty may have his work cut out for him, but there's no better option in Montreal's offense on a nightly basis. Though scoreless in two games, he had seven goals over the four games before that.
RW Sebastian Aho (57K), Hurricanes (vs. Sabres): Aho has been unspectacular, posting 16 points in 30 games. His relatively high price tag and low totals may force owners to shy away. Aho, however, has been a point-per-game player over his last five games. He's a bit of a lottery ticket, but with increased ice time comes increased opportunity.
C Derick Brassard (55K), Senators (vs. Devils): Brassard has largely been a dud in his first season in Ottawa. It's worth remembering that he scored a career high 27 goals a season ago and has been plagued by a career low 6.1 shooting percentage this year.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, November 20:
Triple Threat
C Mark Scheifele (68K), RW Patrik Laine (47K), D Dustin Byfuglien (54K), Jets (at Hurricanes): The Jets are as dynamic a scoring team as you'll find. Scheifele leads the league with 22 points and nobody has more goals than Laine (priced lower than he should be). Meanwhile, Byfuglien leads the league in ice-time per game. This is as high a floor as you'll find. Opportunity knocks, Jets answer.
C Mikael Backlund (47K), LW Matthew Tkachuk (29K), RW Michael Frolik (40K), Flames (at Red Wings): Tkachuk is so inexpensive, that rostering this line makes it possible to select the most expensive options at goaltender and defense and still have budget to spare. This is the bargain line of the day. This is a tournament option only as Calgary features the league's worst power play despite goal-scoring talent.
C Nicklas Backstrom (70K), LW Alex Ovechkin (81K), RW Justin Williams (41K), Capitals (vs. Blue Jackets): While the trio only skates together on the PP, it's the best Capitals combo. Williams benefits from playing with Backstrom, who leads the team in points (15). Ovechkin's slow start is likely tied to him not taking as many shots as normal and converting at a slightly lower tick. Expect a correction.
Bargain Plays
LW Matthew Tkachuk (29K), Flames (at Red Wings): Since the injury to Johnny Gaudreau, Tkachuk has seen his ice time steadily increase. He only has one point over his last five games, a goal, and he's not taking enough shots (averaging two per game) to make his palpable upside a reasonable expectation. Still, at his salary, he provides a ton of freedom at other positions and even a single point will return appropriate value.
RW Michael Grabner (27K), Rangers (vs. Panthers): Grabner is third on the Rangers with 14 points, 11 of which are goals. His shooting percentage (25.6%) is not sustainable, but expect Panthers G Roberto Luongo to have the night off after playing Saturday, facing 40 shots in Ottawa. Grabner, at his price, could buck expectation yet again.
G Connor Hellebuyck (80K), Jets (at Hurricanes): The Hurricanes have scored more goals than only five other teams. Hellebuyck is the cheapest goaltender who isn't normally a backup who is likely to start Sunday. Save some capital with Hellebuyck and trust the Jets' young firepower to get him the win.
Top Fades
G Cam Ward (99K), Hurricanes (vs. Jets): Winnipeg's top line is enough to cast doubt on any goalteneder this season. Ward has played well enough with his .912 save percentage, but it's a lofty investment despite playing at home. Even if the Jets fail to score, they are near the bottom in shots per game, so Ward isn't likely to tally up a large save total regardless.
C Ryan Getzlaf (87K), Ducks (vs. Kings): At his salary, which is the highest for a center in Squad Up on Sunday, Getzlaf's not worth it even with the Kings rotating backup goalies in Jonathan Quick's absence. He's been very consistent, but with less goal-scoring upside (one goal on the season) he's not worth the investment.
RW Rick Nash (53K), Rangers (vs. Panthers): Despite the Rangers' success in winning seven of nine November games, Nash has had little to show for it with only four points in that span. He doesn't have a goal in four straight and his ice time bottomed out at 13:27 against Vancouver on Tuesday. He's not the consistent threat he once was.
Contrarian Options
C Evgeny Kuznetsov (59K), Capitals (vs. Blue Jackets): Kuznetsov is neither taking enough shots nor converting on enough of the ones he's taking. He has only taken more than one shot in a game once in his last 12. When the Capitals beat Pittsburgh 7-1, he had nothing to show for it. On the bright side, he's getting good ice time and is still featured on their underwhelming PP. A turnaround is imminent.
RW Jaromir Jagr (44K), Panthers (at Rangers): Coming off his strongest offensive output of the season (three points) Saturday, Jagr remains relatively affordable. It's a difficult road matchup on the tail end of a back-to-back, which will keep ownership low. Jagr is usually good for close to four SOG per game and his shooting percentage is an uncharacteristically low 4.8.
G Sergei Bobrovsky (82K), Blue Jackets (at Capitals): No one will be targeting Bobrovsky on the road against the Capitals, even at his reduced Squad Up salary, but he's been absolutely stellar other than a couple poor showings. He has defeated both the Rangers and these same Capitals within the last week, allowing only three goals on 49 shots between them.
