The Los Angeles Dodgers made major headlines in signing Shohei Ohtani to a record 10-year, $700 million contract to become the new face of the franchise.
The Dodgers made their interest known when he first joined Major League Baseball in 2017, and when given the opportunity to land the two-way superstar this winter, Ohtani was their top priority.
It was mentioned that Ohtani had several preferences in mind when choosing his next team, and by signing with the Dodgers, they checked the most boxes in addition to meeting contractual needs.
His contract includes unprecedented deferrals, allowing for the Dodgers to keep his competitive balance tax (CBT) number at a more team-friendly rate.
Another detail in Ohtani’s contract is a commitment to donate to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
Per source, Shohei Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers states, “Player will donate to club charity amount not to exceed 1 percent.” Also gives him suite at Dodger Stadium for all regular and post-season games and provides for interpreter.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 13, 2023
Ohtani’s contract is unique in many ways as it also includes $680 million of deferred salary. He’s set to receive $2 million annually for the life of the current deal.
The Dodgers would then be obligated to pay out the rest of his contract over the next 10 years. Ohtani is said to have offered a similar deal to every interested team, with the San Francisco Giants reportedly matching the agreed upon terms.
Shohei Ohtani contract structure
The Atlanta Braves have been known to include such language in recent contracts as of late, asking players to donate a portion of their deal to the team foundation.
A donation to the Braves Foundation was included in Reynaldo López’s contract, Joe Jiménez, Sean Murphy, Austin Riley, and Matt Olson, among other contracts agreed to by Atlanta.
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