New details on Shohei Ohtani-Dodgers negotiations make his contract look even better

When the Los Angeles Dodgers signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract in December of 2023, it was the largest contract in the history of professional sports.

Even at a market setting price, Ohtani was well worth it.

His first season with the Dodgers saw Ohtani win the NL MVP award and the 2024 World Series while putting together the first ever 50-50 season in Major League Baseball history.

Even if Ohtani never takes the mound in Dodger Blue and fulfills his two-way potential, he is going to live up to that $700 million figure and then some. Juan Soto signing a 15-year, $750 million deal with the Mets this past offseason is only more proof of how much of a bargain Los Angeles got. Juan Soto is great, but he’s not Shohei Ohtani. 

Ohtani‘s deal also comes with $680 million in deferred money. That significantly lowers the luxury tax burden for the Dodgers while spreading 97% of Ohtani‘s money from 2034-2043.

It was hard to imagine the Ohtani contract getting any better for the Dodgers. Then more details came out from Ohtani’s agent this week and, somehow, the Dodgers just keep looking better and better. 

The Dodgers offered Shohei Ohtani up to 15 years on his free agent contract

According to Ohtani‘s agent, a 15-year deal was also on the table for his client. Ohtani was 29 years old at the time he signed, and a 15-year contract would have locked him up until he was 44. If he was paid at the same AAV ($70 million), that contract would have exceeded over $1 billion in total value. But that’s not what was important to Shohei. 

As recently reported by the Associated Press, Ohtani wanted to make sure that his production did not fall off while he was on his big contract.

"We could have went to 13, 14, 15 years, but Shohei wanted to always kind of keep the integrity of where he’s at as a player," said agent Nez Balelo at Sportico’s Invest West conference. "He just didn’t want to have the end of his storybook career tail off and then on year 13, 14 and 15, it’s just like who is this guy? You can’t even run down first and he’s not a guy anymore."

It’s easier for Ohtani to turn down that extra money than it would be for most players. His endorsements are set to net him $100 million this year alone, according to FoxSports.com. 

But still, hearing that Ohtani cares about “the integrity of where he’s at as a player” has to ensure Dodgers fans that his performance will not taper off in the later years of the contract. A power bat like Ohtani should still play when he’s in his late 30s. He may not have the same speed that allows him to steal 50 bases in a season, but we'd bet on the offensive production still being there. 

Every large contract comes with risk. But it’s clear that Los Angeles invested in the right guy both on and off the field.