ALABAMA - The Major League Baseball world has been at the forefront of the sports conversation during the past few days, as Shohei Ohtani completed a historic free agency move to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a record-breaking 10-year, $700-million deal.
This new contract will see Ohtani earn around $70 million per season, although as ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Monday, he will defer $68 million of his annual income to allow the Dodgers more flexibility during the offseason.
It's nothing ever seen in the history of U.S. sports. Not even Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes' monster $450-million deal comes close to the Japanese pitcher's new contract.
According to figures taken from Sportstrac, Ohtani's new 10-year deal will see him collect $250 million more than the previous MLB record, one that was held by his now former teammate Mike Trout.
In a league dominated by international stars, Latinos have been able to make their way to the top of the highest earners. Out of the top 20 contracts in MLB, eight of them belong to players who are either Latinos or of Latino descent. Here's a look at them.
Manny Machado (Dominican heritage)
The San Diego Padres SS finalized a $350-million deal back in February, placing him as the 5th-best earner in MLB. The 11-year contract signed by Machado earlier this year meant his deal is now the fifth-largest deal in the sports' history.
As part of the new structure of his deal, he is projected to receive salaries of $13 million in each of the first three seasons, $21 million in 2026 and $35 million annually from 2027-33.
Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rican)
Just below Machado, Francisco Lindor's contract with the New York Mets places him as the 6th-higest earner currently in MLB. The New York outfit traded for Lindor in January of 2021 and did not think twice about making the 'Boricua' SS one of the best paid players in league history.
Lindor signed a 10-year, $341 million contract extension in January of 2021 that should keep him in New York through 2032. His signing bonus of $21 million remains the 3rd-highest by any active MLB player. Only Mookie Bets ($65m) and Machado ($45m) top him in this area.
Fernando Tatís Jr. (Dominican)
Out of the 20 best paid players in baseball, three of them belong to the San Diego Padres. Dominican Right Fielder Fernando Tatís Jr. is one of them.
When he signed his 14-year contract with the ball club, Tatís' deal was the third-largest in terms of new total money added and, to this date, it remains as the longest extension in MLB history.
According to Sportstrac, Tatís Jr. will make at least $36 million in each of his last six seasons.
Rafael Devers (Dominican)
After trading SS Xander Bogaerts to the Padres, the Red Sox were ready to give Devers the most lucrative deal in the team's history.
When the team decided to extend Devers' deal, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said: "Rafael Devers isn't a star. He's our star". The 3B signed a 10-year, $313 million contract with the Boston outfit earlier this year.
According to reports, the Dominican is projected to make $27.5 million a year from 2024-26 with a peak $31 million a year between 2027-2030.
Nolan Arenado (Cuban heritage)
In an effort to find a new star to replace future Hall of Famers Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols, the St. Louis Cardinals offered Nolan Arenado hefty extension last year. After his contract was amended when he completed a trade from the Colorado Rockies, the total amount of the original deal with the Rockies skyrocketed to $214 million over the course of seven seasons.
He was set to be paid $199 million over the remaining six years of his deal. As part of the amendment, a $15 million salary was added to Arenado's total for the 2027 season.
Anthony Rendon (Mexican heritage)
In 2019, Mexican American third baseman Anthony Rendon agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Although it has not been a very successful stint for Rendon inside the ballpark, his time in LA has been great for him money wise.
Currently earning about $35 million per season, Rendon ranks 9th among all MLB players in average money earned per season.
Since making his debut for the Angels during the 2020 season, Rendon has failed to play in more than 58 games in each of his four seasons. Last year was the shortest one of his career, playing only 43 games due to a broken tibia.
Julio Rodríguez (Dominican)
The young Seattle Mariners star had a massive payday in August of last year when he agreed to a 12-year, $210 million deal. The value of Rodríguez' contract could max out at $470 million by the end of the 12th season, according to journalist Jeff Passan.
Rodríguez' base deal started at $120 million and lasts through the 2029 season. After 2028, Seattle will have the option to exercise an additional eight to 10 years, depending on the Dominican's finishes in MVP voting in the preceding seasons.
Carlos Correa (Puerto Rican)
The Minnesota Twins were able to lure Puerto Rican star Carlos Correa out of Houston thanks to a $200 million,10-year deal.
After a turbulent Free Agency period for Correa, where he was close to signing with two different teams, the Puerto Rican SS was able to agree a big payday with the Twins even after questions about his health ultimately made Mets and Giants to pull out of their respective deals.
Correa's overall contract could go up to $270 million if he stays healthy throughout the length of his 10-year stay with the Twins. He received an $8 million signing bonus and is projected to make salaries of $32 million in each of the first two seasons, $36 million in 2025, $31.5 million in 2026, $30.5 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028.
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