Highest paid MLB players of 2016

No pitcher has consistently earned his salary more than Kershaw. He's won three NL Cy Young Award in the last five seasons and finished second place and third place in the other two seasons. During the 2015 season, Kershaw led the NL in complete games, innings and strikeouts. He's entering the third year of a seven-year, $215 million contract.

Price cashed in on a new contract with the Red Sox during the offseason, signing for seven years, $217 million. He finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2015, going 18-5 with a league-leading 2.45 ERA.

Hamilton's five-year, $114.33 million contract has been a nightmare for the Angels, who basically paid the Rangers to take him off their hands last season. He still has two seasons remaining on the deal and has struggled to stay healthy over the last two years.

Miggy is only in the first year of an eight-year, $240 million contract with the Tigers. Injuries have started to hinder his play over the last two seasons, though the 2012 AL Triple Crown winner has still made six consecutive All-Star teams. He's also won the AL Batting Title in four of the last five seasons.

Verlander is more than halfway through a 10-year, $219.5 million contract that started in 2010. His effectiveness has really declined recently with a drop in velocity, and he made only 20 starts last season due to injury. Still, he had a fine year when he was on the mound with a 3.38 ERA in 133.1 innings.

Coming off a career year, Cespedes agreed to a three-year deal with the Mets late in the offseason. He was spectacular after getting traded from Detroit at the trade deadline, hitting .287-17-44 in only 57 games. The Mets will count on him again in the middle of their batting order.

King Felix is in the fourth season of a seven-year, $175 million contract. He had a disappointing 2015 despite 18 wins, with a 3.53 ERA and some struggles late in the season. His declining velocity is a major concern as he enters his age 30 season.

Pujols controversially left St. Louis after 11 seasons for the Angels' money, signing a 10-year, $240 million contract in 2012. His performance has dropped off considerably in Anaheim, but Pujols had a strong 2015 season with 40 home runs and 95 RBI.

It's hard to imagine Howard's contract being much worse for the rebuilding Phillies. He signed a five-year, $125 million contract that started in 2012, and the team hasn't received performance anywhere near his peak years in any of the first four seasons of the deal. He's hit below .230 in three of the first four seasons of the contract and has seen his power drop considerably.

The Yankees got value from Sabathia in the front end of his nine-year, $182 million contract signed in 2009, but he's struggled recently. His 2015 season ended in alcohol rehab after going 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 29 starts. He's struggled with knee issues over the last three seasons as well.

Fielder rebounded from a serious neck injury to hit .305-23-98 for the Rangers in 2015. The Tigers traded him for Ian Kinsler only two years into a nine-year, $214 million contract. He's back to hitting well, albeit mostly as a DH.

Cano left the Bronx for Seattle in 2014, signing a 10-year, $240 million contract. His offense dropped off during the second year of the deal with a .779 OPS, and there have already been concerns that the Mariners will have to move him away from second base in a few seasons when his range declines.

Greinke was rewarded by the Diamondbacks after going 19-3 with a league-best 1.66 ERA in 2015, signing a shocking six-year, $206.5 million contract. Chase Field is much tougher for pitchers than Dodger Stadium, but Greinke has been reliable for most of his career no matter where he's pitched.

The Twins signed Mauer to an eight-year, $184 million contract when he was a catcher in 2011, but he's moved to first base due to concussion issues. His bat hasn't nearly been the same over the last two seasons, as he's averaged hitting .270-7-60.

The Rangers added Hamels' contract from Philadelphia at the trade deadline last season. He has three years remaining on a seven-year, $159 million contract, and has been one of baseball's most durable pitchers over his career. Last season he went 13-8 with a 3.65 ERA in 32 starts.

Teixeira rebounded last season to hit .255-31-79 in only 111 games, but he had major injury issues for the fourth consecutive season. He's in the final season of an eight-year, $180 million contract.

Upton found a lucrative deal with Detroit late in the offseason, signing a six-year, $132.75 million contract. He's launched at least 25 home runs in five of the last seven seasons and is just entering his age 28 season.

Just one year into a four-year, $88 million contract, Hanley's deal is looking like a disaster for Boston. He struggled in left field last season and is expected to switch to first base this year. Ramirez has had trouble staying healthy and hit only .249-19-53 in 105 games in 2015.

Tanaka has been very good two seasons into a seven-year, $155 million contract with the Yankees, though he's also made only 44 starts over those two years. He's pitched with a partially torn elbow ligament, which is a major concern for the Yankees.

Reyes is already on his third team in a six-year, $106 million contract he signed with the Marlins in 2012. While he's scheduled to make $22 million in 2016, his status is in flux due to domestic violence charges that could seriously disrupt his 2016 season with the Rockies.

Boston traded Gonzalez during the first season of his seven-year, $154 million contract in 2012. Since that time he's been L.A.'s most consistent hitter, averaging .281-26-102 over the last three seasons.

While the Dodgers have gotten plenty out of Adrian Gonzalez after he was traded over from Boston, the same can't be said for Crawford. He was included in the same deal after signing a seven-year, $142 million contract with the Red Sox in 2011. Over the last three seasons with the Dodgers, Crawford has averaged only 97 games with a .742 OPS during that time.

The Dodgers got out from under Kemp's eight-year, $160 million contract before last season, shipping him to the Padres in the fourth season of the deal. He hit .265-23-100 in his first season with the Padres but is a much heavier burden in a small market.

Ellsbury had a terrible season in 2015, only the second year of a seven-year, $153 million contract. The aged Yankees need him to bounce back in 2015 after producing a .663 OPS with 21 steals in 30 attempts.

San Diego shocked the baseball world by signing Shields to a four-year, $75 million contract last offseason. He had one of his worst seasons, going 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts. However, Shields did extend his streak of at least 200 innings pitched to nine consecutive seasons.

The Nationals signed Werth to a seven-year, $126 million contract in 2011 when they were a bottom feeder and that kind of money seemed outlandish. He's produced well for much of the deal but played only 88 games last season while hitting .221.