$1 million per homer? $27,000 a point? $229 per second? Sports is loaded with money oddities
$1 million per homer? $27,000 a point? $229 per second? Sports is loaded with money oddities
New York Yankees’ Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
FILE - New York Yankees’ Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) reacts on the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, watches his hit from a bunker on the 11th hole during the final round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club, in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is fouled under the net by Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
New York Yankees’ Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
New York Yankees’ Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
FILE - New York Yankees’ Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
FILE - New York Yankees’ Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) reacts on the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) reacts on the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, watches his hit from a bunker on the 11th hole during the final round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club, in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, watches his hit from a bunker on the 11th hole during the final round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club, in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is fouled under the net by Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is fouled under the net by Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
These were Juan Soto’s numbers in 2024: 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .288 batting average.
Keep doing that over the next 15 years, and he’ll be making roughly $1.2 million for every home run. Or $467,890 for every RBI. Or $307,229 for every hit.
(Pre-tax, of course.)
Soto’s $765 million, 15-year agreement with the New York Mets — the richest contract in terms of total value to a player in U.S. major sports history, a massive move by billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen — provides a chance to look at the numbers in some very silly ways.
He’ll make $314,815 per game. Based on his numbers this season, he’d get $671,053 for every extra-base hit. Or $46,322 every time he swings the bat no matter if he misses, hits a tapper back to the mound or has Mr. Met celebrating in the stands after driving one out at Citi Field. Of course, that’s assuming Soto remains as healthy and productive as he was in 2024. If he misses significant time, those rates just go up.
“Thank you Uncle Steve,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo wrote on social media.
Some of the numbers around the sports world, when broken down by accomplishment, are simply eye-popping in this era. (And keep in mind, these examples are based on current earnings, not taking into account restructurings or any other potential changes.)
A look:
MLB: Blake Snell, Dodgers
The two-time Cy Young winner will earn about $65 million in 2025, most of which is a signing bonus that comes his way in January. He’s also never made more than 32 starts in a season. If he makes 32 starts in 2025, he’d be getting (when factoring in the signing bonus) $2,031,250 per game. For comparison’s sake, Detroit’s Tarik Skubal made $2.65 million for the entire 2024 season — and won a Cy Young award.
MLB: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
His record $700 million deal is no longer a record because of the Soto deal, but Ohtani still holds the mark for average total value at $70 million a year. The only member of baseball’s 50-50 club (54 homers, 59 stolen bases in 2024) would — at this past season’s rate — be making $619,469 every time he hits one out or steals a base.
NFL: Dak Prescott, Cowboys
It’s unfair to break down his stats this year because he’s hurt, but Prescott’s current deal is worth an average of $60 million a season from Dallas. Based on his career average, that means over the lifetime of his current contract, Prescott gets $13,680 for every passing yard.
NFL: Quarterbacks in general
The per-game numbers in the NFL for starting quarterbacks are wild. Patrick Mahomes’ current $450 million contract isn’t even at the top of the cash-per-game standings: Prescott gets about $3.5 million for every Dallas regular season game, while Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Green Bay’s Jordan Love are around $3.25 million per game.
NBA: Stephen Curry, Warriors
At nearly $56 million this season, Curry leads the NBA salary race (for this year, anyway). The NBA’s all-time 3-point king is earning about $680,000 per game in 2024-25; if he was paid by the 3-pointer only, he’d be getting about $161,908 every time he makes one of those this season.
NBA: Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Brown is starting a five-year deal worth around $285 million, Tatum will start a five-year deal next year worth around $314 million. At those rates, the Celtics would be paying their two best players (at their current scoring paces) around $27,406 for every point scored. To compare — Larry Bird, for his career, made about $1,100 per point.
NHL: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
He’ll start a contract next year that will pay him an average of $14 million a season over eight seasons. At his current rate of scoring, he’d be earning roughly $119,393 for every goal or assist over that span.
NHL: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Shesterkin just got the richest extension for a goalie, $92 million over eight years. At his current averages, every time he makes a save, he’ll be earning $5,084.
MLS: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami
Based just on his Major League Soccer guaranteed salary, Messi got just over $1 million per goal this season ($20.4 million, 20 goals). Again, just counting the MLS salary — his full deal with Inter Miami is worth at least $150 million for 2½ years — Messi made $229 for every second he was on the field during the 2024 regular season.
Golf: Scottie Scheffler, PGA
Scheffler’s official earnings in 2024 were $29,228,357 (plus an Olympic gold medal, which is priceless). And that doesn’t include $34,037,500 million in bonuses and unofficial earnings, including $25 million for winning the FedExCup. Add it all up, and that meant the world’s No. 1 player earned about $11,243 per shot he took this season.