The Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani made history after agreeing to a 10-year, $700 million contract in Dec. 2023. The most unique aspect of the landmark deal was the fact that 97 percent of Ohtani’s contract was deferred.
For most, if not all, other players, deferring so much of a contract would not have been feasible, but Ohtani isn’t like most players. The superstar earns more than $60 million from endorsements, which allowed the Dodgers to make a unique and profitable investment when they signed Ohtani.
The sacrifice for Ohtani was well worth it. In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases.