Ohtani is a superstar who has posted a batting average of 274 (681 hits in 2,483 times at bat) of 171 homers and 437 RBIs with an OPS of .922 and an ERA of 3.01 in 86 games (481 ⅔ innings). He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2018, and spent three brilliant years winning the 2021 American League MVP unanimously, the second MVP in the 2022 MVP vote, and the second unanimous MVP in 2023.
Ohtani, who qualified as an FA after this year’s season, signed a 10-year, $700 million (about 923.3 billion won) historic contract with the Dodgers on the 10th (Korea time). It is the biggest contract in professional sports history, exceeding Mike Trout’s 12-year $426.5 million (about 562.6 billion won) contract in the Major League history, as well as Lionel Messi’s five-year, $674 million (about 889 billion won).
However, it became controversial when it was revealed that 680 million dollars out of the 700 million dollars contracted by Ohtani is a delayed payment method that will be paid 10 years later. Ohtani will only receive 20 million dollars in annual salary for 10 years.
U.S. media Sports Illustrated said on the 12th, “Otani’s agent revealed why Ohtani wanted to receive a large amount of money as a delayed payment in a historical contract with the Dodgers.”
Nez Valero, Ohtani’s agent, said Ohtani asked, “What if I get all my salary in deferred payment to increase the possibility that the team I’m going to get will perform better?” Sports Illustrated explained, “Balero looked into the CBA clause and there was no provision restricting how late a player can get paid. The only clause was that the player should get the minimum salary.”
The minimum annual salary for the Major League next year is 740,000 U.S. dollars. Ohtani will be paid 2 million dollars a year by the Dodgers for 10 years at his own discretion. He also plans to receive 680 million dollars, 97 percent of his contract amount, for 10 years without any interest after the 10-year contract ends. 사설 토토사이트
The reason Ohtani made such a contract is to secure cash flow for Dodgers and reduce annual salary based on luxury tax. Sports Illustrated said, “According to an official who is familiar with luxury tax standards calculated under the labor-management collective agreement, Ohtani’s 10-year, 700-million-dollar contract will be calculated at 46.06 million dollars per year based on luxury tax. If there was no delay payment, it would be 70 million dollars.”
Ohtani requested that he invest his savings in the team instead of receiving a delayed payment. “A person familiar with the negotiation process between the Dodgers and Ohtani said that Ohtani wanted a specific clause in his contract that he would use the benefits he gets from the delayed payment to reinforce his team’s performance,” the media reported. Valero did not discuss such a specific clause.