St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt just inked an absolutely wild eight-year, $112.5 million contract, and get this: it doesn't even kick in until next year! The details, which just dropped from The Associated Press, show this thing is loaded with another $20 million in escalators that hinge on MVP voting and All-Star selections. It's a huge commitment for a guy who just made his big league debut this season.
The Money, The Milestones, And The Future For Wetherholt
This monster deal for Wetherholt is backloaded in a big way, with the real money kicking in over time. He gets a sweet $2 million signing bonus hitting his bank account on November 15. Then the salaries climb: $2.5 million next season, $4 million in 2028, $7.5 million in 2029, and $12.5 million in 2030. From there, it just keeps soaring to $17 million in 2031, $20 million in 2032, $22 million in 2033, and a whopping $25 million in 2034. But the real kicker? He can start earning those escalators in 2031, boosting his salaries by up to $5 million in 2032 and then an insane $7.5 million in each of the two seasons after that. We're talking $5 million for an MVP win, $2.5 million for finishing second through fifth, and even half a million for just cracking the top ten in MVP voting. An All-Star nod gets him a $250,000 raise the next season, too. Oh, and if he ever gets traded, there's a $2 million assignment bonus in there. It's wild to think this guy, picked seventh overall in the 2024 draft, signed for a $6.9 million bonus, made the Cards' opening day roster this year, and homered in his March 26 debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, is currently making the major-league minimum of $780,000. What a glow-up!Injuries Mounting Around The League
It wasn't all good news around the league, though, as injuries continue to be a brutal part of the game. Houston Astros center fielder Brice Matthews went down hard against Texas on Sunday after crashing into the wall trying to pull back a ball hit by Josh Jung. That ball fell, going for a triple, and Matthews was on his right knee for minutes while trainer Eric Velazquez and manager Joe Espada watched on with concern. He finished the inning, but got pinch hit for in the second by Taylor Trammell. Matthews, a 24-year-old Houston native, is hitting just .197 through 81 games, so this is definitely not what he needed. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks had to put veteran right-hander Zac Gallen on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. Manager Torey Lovullo had to yank him from his scheduled Sunday start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, recalling left-hander Mitch Bratt to take his spot. This isn't just a sudden thing for Gallen either; the 30-year-old has been struggling for over a month now, going 0-5 with an 8.24 ERA over his last eight starts dating back to May 29. His season numbers are a rough 3-9 with a 6.34 ERA over 19 starts. Lovullo said, "I think he felt something and he spoke up and that’s when we decided to get him examined," which is always a tough listen for fans. As we roll deeper into the season with the All-Star break looming, these big contract details and crucial injury updates remind us just how much can change in a single week. Keep an eye on Wetherholt to see if he can hit those incentives, and we all hope for quick recoveries for Matthews and Gallen.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.