MLB: Home Run Derby - Source: ImagnMLB insider claims “Shohei Ohtani should’ve gotten more” than $700,000,000 from Dodgers, comparing to Juan Soto’s next contract projection (Source: Imagn)

The Los Angeles Dodgers offered the largest-ever contract in American sports history when they signed Shohei Ohtani as a free agent last winter. However, Juan Soto is projected to also reach a similar value when he eventually signs for a team this off-season.

MLB insider Jeff Passan feels Ohtani should have received more money than he did despite signing a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers.

Although the average annual salary of Shohei Ohtani appears to be $70 million based on the agreement, the Los Angeles Dodgers are paying him just $2 million per year. Ohtani will receive $68 million annually in deferred payments for 10 years after the conclusion of his contract. As a result, the true value of his average annual salary drops down to about $45 million per year.

ESPN’s baseball analyst, Jeff Passan, was a guest on the “Casa De Klub” podcast with two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber this Monday. He was asked whether Juan Soto deserves more money than Shohei Ohtani, considering that his skill set is much more limited compared to the two-way superstar.

“No, when you put it that way,” Pasan answered. “But there’s also an argument that Ohtani didn’t get nearly as much as he deserved, which is crazy to say in a $700 million contract. But I think it’s realistic at this point. If we’re just being honest about it, Ohtani should have gotten more.

“The difference between Ohtani and Soto is the age,” he continued. “Ohtani signing at 30 years old [while] Juan Soto is 26. You guys get how valuable age actually is because we’ve seen time after time, when you’ve got a three [year-advantage] at the beginning of your age, teams start to treat you a little differently,” he added.

(from 17:17 mark onwards)

Juan Soto is a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner who made his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals and finished as the runner-up for the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year at the age of 18. He was traded to the San Diego Padres in the middle of the 2022 campaign and later joined the New York Yankees for his final season before reaching free agency.

One of the brilliant baseball moves of the last quarter century: Jeff Passan on Dodgers signing Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani was named MVP for the third time in his career this year (Soure: Imagn)Shohei Ohtani was named MVP for the third time in his career this year (Soure: Imagn)

The LA Dodgers shattered the record for the largest-ever baseball contract when they signed Ohtani in the previous off-season. Nevertheless, Jeff Passan feels this was an excellent deal for the Dodgers despite committing $700 million to the player, as they will be reaping a lot more money for the next decade thanks to the payment deferrals in the agreement.

“The deferrals are ridiculous. He’s going to get paid, but what it does is it takes down the value from $700 million, in the present-day value, to somewhere in the neighborhood of $450 million,” Passan said. “10 years, $450 million. That contract is going to pay itself off in three years.

“The Dodgers are making it beyond their wildest dreams,” he added. “They are making money via advertising. They’re making via sales in the team stores at the stadium. They’re making money in Japan. What the Dodgers have done with their strategy to internationalize themselves in the fashion they did, we’re going to look back and see it as one of the brilliant baseball moves of the last quarter century.”

Shohei Ohtani posted an outstanding first season with the Dodgers and became the first player to post 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases en route to winning the World Series and the NL MVP.