Shohei Ohtani Contract: How Does the Dodger's Deal Compare to His Peers?

Whether you like it or not, modern professional sports are a big business. And if you want proof of that, you don't need to look any further than Shohei Ohtani's massive contract. As you may have heard, the Los Angeles Dodgers are paying the star $700 million over 10 years.

When it comes to cash flow, there is a catch. During that time under contract, Ohtani will only take home $2 million per season. The rest of that money will be deferred, which lessens the luxury tax implications of the pact and (potentially) lets the pitcher earn much of his money in a more tax-friendly environment.

With those details in mind, have you wondered how Ohtani's contract stacks up against his peers in Major League Baseball (MLB)? Let's explore that from a few different 2024-based perspectives.

2024 MLB Payroll Salaries

There are plenty of different ways to sort sports compensation. You can go by how things count against the salary cap (or luxury tax) or only look at take-home cash. In this case, though, we'll start with the most basic level: Payroll salary.

Payroll salary reflects what each player is being paid over the course of their contract. Ohtani, for example, sits atop the list with $70 million in compensation for the 2024 season, despite the fact that much of that money is deferred.

So, how does the MLB's current top-10 shake out?

• Tied 10: Stephen Strasburg (Washington), Nolan Arenado (St. Louis) and Corey Seager (Texas): $35,000,000
• 9: Patrick Corbin (Washington): $35,416,670
• 8: Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees): $36,000,000
• 7: Mike Trout (LA Angels): $37,116,666
• 6: Anthony Rendon (LA Angels): $38,571,428
• Tied 4: Jacob deGrom (Texas) and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees): $40,000,000
• 3: Justin Verlander (Houston): $43,333,333
• 2: Max Scherzer (Texas): $43,333,334
• 1: Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers): $70,000,000

Ohtani Also Leads the League in Luxury Tax Hit

Here's where Ohtani's contract numbers get interesting. By deferring much of his compensation across an extra 10 years, the Dodgers are also left with a more manageable number to try to fit under the competitive balance (luxury) tax threshold. For context, MLB doesn't have a hard salary cap like other leagues; teams can pay as much as they want, but expenditure above a certain amount will incur some extra financial penalties.

And in terms of the money that counts toward the 2024 threshold, Ohtani still leads the way, but he's not too far beyond his peers.

• 10: Corey Seager (Texas): $32,500,000
• 9: Carlos Correa (Minnesota): $33,333,333
• 8: Francisco Lindor (New York Mets): $33,800,000
• Tied 6: Stephen Strasburg (Washington) and Anthony Rendon (LA Angels) $35,000,000
• 5: Mike Trout (LA Angels): $35,541,667
• 4: Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees): $36,000,000
• 3: Jacob deGrom (Texas) $37,000,000
• 2: Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) $40,000,000
• 1: Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers): $46,081,476

Ohtani 2024 Total Cash

Now, this is where things get extreme. Total cash refers to the amount of money the player in question actually earns in a given season. And, as mentioned, Ohtani won't take home much during the course of his contract.

Over the next 10 years, he'll pocket $2 million per season, which is comparative pocket change. In 2024, his total cash is tied for 409th in the MLB. For context, he's sitting level with the likes of Cole Irvin, Luke Weaver, Spencer Turnbull, Liam Hendriks and a handful of other names.

That's not to say the Dodger will be hurting for money, though. He's already earned a pretty penny and endorsement deals will help pick up the slack.

So, who's actually earning the most cash during the 2024 MLB season? Well, the top earners are as follows:

• 10: Giancarlo Stanton (New York Yankees): $32,000,000
• 9: Corey Seager (Texas): $34,500,000
• 8: Mike Trout (LA Angels): $35,450,000
• Tied 6: Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees) and Carlos Correa (Minnesota): $36,000,000
• 5: Anthony Rendon (LA Angels): $38,000,000
• Tied 3: Jacob deGrom (Texas) and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees): $40,000,000
• 2: José Altuve (Houston): $41,000,000
• 1: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LA Dodgers): $55,000,000

Over the long run, Ohtani probably won't mind sitting so far down the total cash list. And, if his deferred salary allows the Dodgers to spend elsewhere, some World Series titles would only make things that much sweeter.