Stephen Strasburg, exit stage left, your run as MLB's highest-paid pitcher with your $245 million contract was short-lived. Step on up, Gerrit Cole, owner of a new, nine-year, $324 million contract, courtesy of the New York Yankees. Both pitchers shattered the previous record contract for a pitcher, so I thought it would be fun to look through baseball history and ask: How did we get here?
Starting with Catfish Hunter's landmark contract for the 1975 season, let's go back and find the pitchers who set the marks for highest total value contract.