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A new layer of intrigue has come up after Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with a vast majority of the money deferred.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Ohtani has a clause in the deal which states, “if specific change in Dodger personnel, player may opt out of contract at end of season the change occurs.”
The AP reported that the opt-out clause is contingent on owner Mark Walter and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman remaining in their roles with the franchise.
The report is raising eyebrows, as ESPN previously reported that Ohtani’s contract did not contain any opt-out clauses.
Earlier this week, it was astonishingly revealed that $68 million of Ohtani’s annual $70 million compensation will be deferred until after his deal is up.
Ohtani reportedly earns $50 million in endorsement revenue each year, and felt that the deferrals would help the Dodgers be able to afford more elite players around him.
For competitive balance tax purposes, Ohtani’s contract is worth $46 million per year.
He joins a fearsome Dodgers lineup that includes fellow superstars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
The Dodgers went 100-62 last season, winning the NL West by 16 games, before falling to the Diamondbacks in a stunning sweep in the NLDS.
Before suffering an elbow injury this season, Ohtani had been the best combination of hitter and pitcher since at least Babe Ruth.
He underwent surgery in September and is expected to be available as a hitter in 2024 and to return to the mound in 2025.
The apparel juggernaut Fanatics announced Wednesday that Ohtani’s Dodgers jersey broke a record for most sales within 48 hours of its release — surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and everyone else.
According to the latest odds on FanDuel, the Dodgers are favorites to win the 2024 World Series, with +500 odds.
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