Overview

• Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers includes $680 million in deferred payments, reducing its luxury-tax value to $460 million.
• Agent Nez Balelo revealed Ohtani rejected a potential 15-year deal to avoid late-career decline and maintain peak performance integrity.
• The Dodgers leveraged the payroll flexibility from Ohtani’s deferred salary to invest over $450 million in pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow.
• Ohtani is projected to earn over $100 million in endorsements this year, with his deals carefully managed to prevent overexposure.
• Balelo refuted rumors of Ohtani signing with Toronto in 2023, emphasizing the Dodgers’ alignment with Ohtani’s goals as a two-way player.