Did you read the article? Seems pretty straight forward, especially by pro sports standards. He didn't just decide not to play, he can't, and here's what the contract stipulates. Nonetheless, the end of Fielder’s career comes as a bit of a jolt. He’s only 32, and he’s under contract through 2020 at $24MM per year. Given that Fielder is medically unable to play and not technically retiring, the Rangers will still owe him $9MM per season through 2020, with $6MM annually coming from the Tigers (as per the terms of the trade that brought Fielder to Texas) and $9MM coming via insurance payments due to Fielder’s inability to play. He’ll also remain on Texas’ 40-man roster each offseason through the end of his deal, though the club will be able to free up room during the season by placing him on the 60-day DL. I think your last sentence meant to read " To be legally binding , contracts must have benefits and obligations mutually agreed upon by both parties". Seems that's the case here.