In a move that shook the sports world, two-time reigning American League (AL) MVP in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, signed a record-breaking deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that made him the highest-paid baseball player EVER—a 10-year, 700 million dollar deal. The Japanese sensation was a two-way starter for the Angels, displaying his talents as an outstanding hitter as well as an elite pitcher.
A headline from Sports Illustrated in November last year read, “Texas Rangers Bought World Series Title in Free Agency.” During that offseason in which the Rangers took home the championship, the team spent $561.2 million in free agency, adding more depth, rotation and crucial pieces to their roster. Fast forward to 2023 and the Dodgers are taking the same approach, taking the $561 million from the Rangers championship offseason and practically doubling it. The Dodgers spent $1.2 billion in the offseason.
“I think baseball needs a salary cap because small teams do not get an equal opportunity to sign big-name players because all the big market teams have the money,” Jonathan Lerach (11) said.
Despite winning 100 games in the regular season last year, the Dodgers proceeded to lose three games in a row and got swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitching was dreadful with Clayton Kershaw coming back from a shoulder injury, but they ended the regular season solidly, allowing at most two runs in an inning in the last six of eight starts. During the first game of the World Series, Kershaw stepped on the mound and proceeded to give up six runs. The worst start in Kershaw’s career, he was taken off after playing 0.1 innings. In game two, Bobby Miller gave up three runs and was taken out in 1.2 innings. In game three, the Dodgers trusted 36-year-old Lance Lynn to take the reins and become the turning point, but he also followed the script of his teammates and was taken off the mound in 2.2 innings after giving up four runs — the only runs of the game. After such an embarrassing performance by the carousel, the Dodgers needed to address the pitching situation.
Ever since high school, Shohei Ohtani was a baseball phenom, first becoming a pro in Japan and then playing in the big leagues. He played all six years in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Angels, becoming an electric playmaker for them both in pitching and hitting the ball. He put up many historic numbers, shattered many records, and changed the baseball atmosphere in Anaheim. He was the back-to-back AL MVP and the best player in baseball by a far margin. Still, Ohtani always maintained a down-to-earth disposition, was loved by many and never participated in scandals or meaningless drama. His mind was set on baseball. Ohtani wanted to continue to play for the Angels, but the offer by the Dodgers was simply irresistible. Although he allowed his former team to match the offer of 10 years at $700 million, they didn’t. Publicly stating that negotiations had occurred but a deal couldn’t be reached.
In a very anticipated bid for the best baseball player in the league, many sources announced that a deal was imminent between Ohtani and the Blue Jays in early January. Toronto was the front-runner for the reigning MVP, and behind them were the Giants, Cubs, Dodgers and his former team, the Angels. In the end, the Dodgers emerged as the slugger’s pick, and he switched sides in Los Angeles. Part of the reason he chose the Dodgers was simple — they won games. A stacked roster and a track record of winning would mean Ohtani would be a full-time designated hitter while he recovers from Tommy John surgery (a ligament reconstruction common for athletes).
Aaron Judge of the Yankees reset the market when he signed a nine-year $360-million contract in 2022. Fortunately, the Dodgers love to always one-up everyone. In a blockbuster announcement, the Dodgers announced the historic contract of their newest superstar: a 10-year $700-million-dollar contract. The largest contract in MLB history, making Judge’s deal seem like child’s play. At first glance, it seems like Ohtani is making $70 million a year, but that’s not the case — for now. First, $680 million of the total would be “deferred” until after his contract expires, which means that for the next 10 years, he will be only making two million dollars a year, but after his contract expires with the Dodgers in 2033, he’ll be paid $68 million a year until 2043.
“That contract is definitely worth it,” Birhanu Kennedy (12) said. “It’s very beneficial towards himself as well as the team. He gets paid, and in return, the Dodgers get a superstar of a player.”
If bringing in one Japanese superstar wasn’t enough, the Dodgers brought in a second one: Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Superstar pitcher for the Buffalo Orix, which is a professional baseball team in Japan, he shattered many records while in the pros, pitched for the Japanese national team and absolutely dominated during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, helping his team secure a gold medal after beating the U.S. Yamamoto signed a 12 year $325 million contract. Another piece was added to the puzzle as the Dodgers acquired pitcher Tyler Glasnow via a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Glasnow has a long history of injuries but is an absolute stud when he plays. Glasnow signed a five-year $136 million deal.
The Dodgers addressed pitching in a major way too, signing three big-name players: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. With all this talent on the mound, the Dodgers no doubt have the best pitching rotation in all of baseball. It should be fun to watch all the stars perform, and with a roster as talented as this one, surely a baseball championship will return to the city of Los Angeles.
