Alex Rodriguez, the 38-year-old third baseman for the New York Yankees, is the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, according to a report by Business Insider. A-Rod might have lost $22.1 million from his salary because of his suspension, which lasted an entire year, but he acquired a number of contracts valued at over $250 million together. Overall, Rodriguez has earned over $350 million in his entire professional career.
He signed two of the largest contracts in the history of the sport. He signed a deal worth $252 million with the Texas Rangers in 2000. Seven years later, he signed another with the New York Yankees worth $275 million. His contract with the Yankees includes $30 million in extra compensation, should he reach particular home run targets -- which he has done so flawlessly.
During the beginning of the 2013 season, A-Rod was kept on the bench due to hip surgery. He is owed $89 million from the Yankees after the 2013 season. Other sources of income for Rodriguez include his endorsement deals with Rawlings and Nike, which are among the biggest in the league as well. Currently, he has no endorsement deals with these brands, although he still uses the products. He also earned extra money by selling his Miami Beach home for $30 million. In 2010, he bought the house at a little over $7 million, according to feature on Forbes.
In a list of 25 players who earned at least $144 million during their career, Alex Rodriguez is at the number one spot, having earned a total of $356,285,104. His highest salary in a single season was $33 million.
Rodriguez has played 20 total seasons and has won one World Series title. He also played in 14 All-Star games and won three MVP awards. Derek Jeter is at No. 2, having earned $265,159,364. Jeter also played 20 seasons in the MLB and earned $22.6 million in one season, which was his highest ever. He starred in 13 All-Star games and won five World Series titles. Manny Ramirez is at the top three spot with $206,827,769. He played 19 seasons and his highest salary for a single season is $23.9 million.