The reign of Shohei Ohtani as an art with the richest contract of professional sports only lasted. After the signing A offer of $ 700 million over 10 years With the Los Angeles dodgers in December 2023, Juan Soto and the New York dishes accepted A package of $ 765 million over 15 years About 365 days later.
Get out of the first season of 50 circuits and 50 stolen bases In the history of Major League Baseball, Ohtani is paid less than anyone who seems confusing. He has not yet launched for the Dodgers, which came out of the elbow surgery in 2023. However, Ohtani's agent, Nose Balelo, told journalists on Thursday that he and his superstar client “would do nothing different”.
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The disparity between the contracts is even more austere when examining the details of the respective packages. None of Soto's money will be delayed, which means that it will report the full value of $ 765 million. On the other hand, the Ohtani agreement Includes $ 680 million in delayed moneyReducing the real value of the $ 460 million agreement.
Ohtani winning a World Series championship with the Dodgers last season and settled so comfortably with his teammates compensate for all the financial differences between his contract and Soto, according to Balelo.
“We would not do anything different,” said Balelo at the Invest West conference on Thursday on Thursday, via Los Angeles Times. “He won a championship. He went to the right team. Why would we do something different? No regrets. Nothing.”
In addition, Ohtani will earn more than $ 100 million downstream (and could get much more, if he chooses it in this way), closing the apparent gaps on paper more.
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Balelo continued explaining that he and Ohtani felt the same thing about the contract Signed with the Los Angeles Angels Leaving Japan. Ohtani could probably have been able to get more money from other teams, but the angels have committed to allow him to play both as a striker and launcher. This put him in a position to win two MVP prizes from the American League and to receive the contract he signed with the Dodgers, so they have no regrets there either.
“It was the right place, with the group and Mike (Scioscia) and the whole team there,” added Balelo. “They gave him an opportunity. They stayed with him. He had a difficult spring. It was the right house for him at the time.”
Free agent contracts in sports are often a question of calendar rather than value. There are a lot to make in comparison, such as the potential bidirectional contributions of Ohtani to Dodgers and Soto are only 26 years old. But Soto struck the free market after Ohtani settled the bar, so he ended up with the greatest agreement.
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This happens in professional sports. Is Dak Prescott a better quarter-Arrière than Patrick Mahomes? Most would say no, and the Mahoma contract is worth much more total value ($ 450 million has $ 240 million). But Prescott will earn $ 60 million next season against $ 52.1 million in Mahomas.
According to Balelo, the Dodgers presented a vision of building a winner around him and followed promises beyond his contract. The money saved in postponement of his contract was used to sign additional players, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, who set them up to win a world series.
Balelo also indicated that the Ohtani contract signed with the Dodgers could be its last as a professional adhesive. He is 39 years old when the 10 -year agreement expires and apparently has no interest in playing until his skills and conditions have completely eroded.
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“He just didn't want to have the end of his career career in Storybook, then in 13, 14 and 15 years:” Who is this guy? He cannot even surpass himself “,” said Balelo about Ohtani not pursuing an agreement of 15 years or more.
Fortunately, there will probably be nine years over Ohtani for baseball fans.
