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With his decorated career in the MLB, Esteban Loaiza’s net worth in 2018 is estimated at $20.0 million. But outside the diamond, he had a streak of legal troubles. Could Loaiza’s recent arrest impact his net worth? Find out here!

Former All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza was arrested on drug charges on February 9, 2018. This is his most recent run-in with the law after a slew of legal troubles over the years.

The latest estimates put Loaiza’s net worth in 2018 at $20.0 million. But some believe the numbers should be higher given his spectacular MLB career and lucrative contracts. So, did his legal history dent his career earnings?

Here’s a breakdown of Esteban Loaiza’s net worth.

How Esteban Loaiza Made His Millions

  • Esteban Antonio Loaiza Veyna was born on December 31, 1971, in Tijuana, Mexico.
  • After graduating from a high school in Imperial Beach, California, Loaiza was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1991.
  • The Pirates traded Loaiza to the Texas Rangers in 1998; the Rangers then traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000.
  • Loaiza signed with the Chicago White Sox as a free agent in the 2003 season and was an All-Star selection in 2003 and 2004.
  • After his All-Star game, Loaiza was traded to the New York Yankees but then signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals in 2004.
  • Before the 2006 season started, he signed with Oakland Athletics; the three-year contract was worth $21.4 million, and he earned guaranteed yearly salaries of $5.0 million, $6.0 million, and $7.0 million for the duration of the contract.
  • Loaiza’s Oakland career was marred by poor performance and injuries; he spent a lot of time on the disabled list until August 2007.
  • The LA Dodgers acquired him off the Oakland waivers in 2007; instead of trading him, the Dodgers purchased the remainder of Esteban Loaiza’s contract.
  • Esteban Loaiza’s salary with the LA Dodgers was bumped up to $8.0 million.
  • The Chicago White Sox signed him in 2008 but after six weeks on the disabled list, he was released.
  • Esteban Loaiza’s career earnings are estimated at $43.7 million.

The following table illustrates his salaries during his MLB career:

Team Season Salary
Pittsburgh Pirates 1995 $109,000
Pittsburgh Pirates 1996 $150,000
Pittsburgh Pirates 1997 $200,000
Pittsburgh Pirates 1998 $450,000
Texas Rangers 1999 $1.48 million
Texas Rangers 2000 $2.65 million
Toronto Blue Jays 2001 $4.25 million
Toronto Blue Jays 2002 $6.0 million
Chicago White Sox 2003 $500,000
Chicago White Sox 2004 $4.0 million
Washington Nationals 2005 $2.9 million
Oakland Athletics 2006 $6.0 million
Oakland Athletics 2007 $7.5 million
LA Dodgers 2008 $7.5 million

Esteban Loaiza’s Divorce and Legal Troubles

  • Esteban Loaiza was pulled over by police in 2006 for driving his Ferrari at 120 mph; he subsequently failed a sobriety test and appeared in court in 2006.
  • After this incident, Oakland GM Billy Beane banned alcohol in the home and visitor clubhouse.
  • Loaiza was married to Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera in 2010; it was his first marriage and her third.
  • The couple were headed for a divorce in 2012 and filed the papers in October that year; but Rivera died in a plane crash in December before their divorce could be finalized.
  • Loaiza was her legal spouse at the time of the fatal plane crash; he was entitled to a share of her estate valued at $25.0 million (if no prenup was signed).
  • The MLB star filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft company in 2014; Rivera’s family accused him of attempting to profit from her death.
  • Loaiza was charged with three drug-related felonies; he was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking when he was stopped for a minor traffic violation.
  • A search of Esteban Loaiza’s house in Imperial Beach uncovered roughly 20 kilograms of white substance believed to be cocaine; the estimated street value is $500,000.
  • Esteban Loaiza is being held on $200,000 bail pending his court appearance on February 14.