Shohei Ohtani Contract: Two-way phenom set to defer 97% of his $700m deal until after 2034

Shohei Ohtani continues to break new ground in the baseball world. Not only has the two-way superstar defied what many MLB fans felt was possible on the field, but he has racked up impressive numbers as both a hitter and a pitcher.

"Shohei Ohtani has set a financial record to go along with his singular on-field performance, getting a record $700 million to make a 30-mile move up Interstate 5 to the Los Angeles Dodgers" - @NewsHour

Well, as it turns out, Shohei Ohtani has etched his name in baseball history yet again. The Japanese superstar set a new North American sports record by signing an unfathomable ten-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The contract Ohtani signed would pay him a whopping $70 million per season. However, in a shocking move, the superstar will see the majority of that salary come in 2034 and on.

"Shohei Ohtani's $700 million contract calls for him to be paid only $2 million a year for the next 10 seasons, with $680 million deferred until the end of the deal, sources confirm to ESPN. The CBT hit on the contract is going to be around $46 million, a huge discount for L.A." - @JeffPassan

As part of another stunning twist to Ohtani's free agency, the superstar opted to have $68 million of his $70 million yearly salary deferred to 2034. From 2034 to 2043, Ohtani will be paid the remaining amount of this salary without interest.

This means that Ohtani will only be paid $2 million per season, allowing the Los Angeles Dodgers flexibility when it comes to building out their roster. It is also worth noting that if Ohtani moves out of California by the time the deferred payments kick in, he can avoid the massive California state tax.

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Shohei Ohtani's deferred contract keeps the Dodgers' salary table open

Ordinarily, a $70 million contract would severely restrict the Los Angeles Dodgers' ability to bolster their roster in free agency or on the trade market. Now, with only $2 million on the books for Ohtani, the Dodgers will have the ability to fill out the rest of their roster in order to compete for the World Series for the next several years.

The club has been linked to several stars this offseason aside from Shohei Ohtani, including Yoshinbu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Jorge Soler, and Shota Imanaga.

"The Dodgers are emerging as the 'prominent' landing spot for Tyler Glasnow" - @SNYtv