The titan of baseball, Shohei Ohtani, has signed an earth-shattering contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, rewriting the record books in the process. The jaw-dropping deal sees Ohtani pocketing $700 million over 10 years, dividing down to an astounding $70 million per year. The attention-grabbing numbers, however, hide an intriguing strategy that the Dodgers and Ohtani have cooked up.
In a novel tactic, Ohtani will defer $68 million of his yearly earnings until the end of his decade-long contract, meaning he will earn a humble (by baseball standards) $2 million per year during his playing years. This revolutionary approach allows the Dodgers a great deal more financial freedom to add more talent to their star-studded lineup.
Shohei Ohtani approached the Dodgers with this creative idea, indicating a deep commitment to making his team the cream of the field. By delaying the majority of his earnings, he opens a window for the franchise to secure rising stars and proven veterans, fortifying the Dodgers for a tilt at dominance in Major League Baseball.
Despite this innovative strategy, some critics argue this manoeuver amounts to a method of skirting the cap regulations. They suggest that paying the best player in baseball a mere $2 million per year while he's actively playing gives the Dodgers an unfair advantage.
However, the fact remains that this bold move is all within the rules. The Dodgers already boast a formidable lineup including heavyweights namely Mookie Best and Freddie Freeman. By adding Shohei Ohtani to the ranks and freeing up significant cap space, the franchise is gearing up in their quest for championships and supremacy in the world of baseball.
While this strategy may seem radical to some, there's no denying its potential to reframe the dynamics of contract negotiations and player recruitment in the league. It remains to be seen whether this approach sets a trend for future contracts or remains an intriguing one-off event in the annals of baseball signings.
