Overview

• Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million Dodgers contract, signed in December 2023, includes $680 million in deferred payments, reducing its luxury-tax value to $460 million.
• Agent Nez Balelo confirmed Ohtani prioritized career longevity and team competitiveness, opting against a longer deal to avoid late-career decline.
• The Dodgers reinvested over $450 million in pitching talent, signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow shortly after securing Ohtani.
• Ohtani’s endorsement earnings have surged to $100 million annually, enabling him to structure a deferred deal while maintaining financial flexibility for the team.
• Juan Soto’s subsequent $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets, with no deferred payments, highlights escalating MLB free-agency benchmarks.