The world of baseball is still trying to process the fact that Shohei Ohtani chose to go to the Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB free agency and also the amount of money the Nationa League West club has committed to the Japanese superstar.
The Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels were among the other teams linked to Ohtani prior to the Dodgers deal, and according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the two-time American League Most Valuable Player talked to those clubs with the same line of thinking about deferred salary.
“My understanding is Ohtani took this approach (massively deferring his salary to keep team payroll flexible) with all the teams he negotiated with. So this wasn't a Dodgers-exclusive thing. Seems like he thought this was the best way to win in his new destination.”
Shohei Ohtani to earn $2 million per year before deferred money kicks in
The $700 million contract that the Dodgers and Ohtani agreed upon over the weekend broke the fabric of social media and has since been the talk of the town. In addition to that, it turns out that Ohtani's deal with Los Angeles will pay him for the next two decades, thanks to a deferral system that will earn him just $2 million in the first 10 years, with the rest being paid out from 2034 to 2043.
It has also been said that Ohtani got an offer from the Blue Jays that was in the same ballpark as what the Dodgers extended to him. At the end of the day, Ohtani will be playing for the Dodgers, beginning in the 2024 MLB season. He will make relatively change money annually in the next 10 years, but he should still have plenty more to pocket thanks to his endorsement deals. That's not to mention that by deferring much of his salary, he's given the Dodgers a bigger financial leg space to further strengthen their roster.
With Ohtani becoming a Dodger, there is no doubt that Los Angeles will be a heavy favorite to win the World Series in 2024 and should be a major contender for the Fall Classic title in the years beyond the next campaign.
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