"Money laundering scheme" - MLB fans aim jibe at Dodgers after Will Smith's deferred contract extension

The LA Dodgers have handed their catcher, Will Smith, a 10-year, $140 million extension ahead of the start of the season. According to Fabian Ardaya, $50 million from the contract will be deferred and the $30 million signing bonus will be paid out over the next two years.

Smith will receive $15 million in November 2024 and the remaining $15 million in January 2024, per Mark Feinsand. Moreover, $5 million in salary every year will be paid between 2034-43.

This deal is synonymous with the Dodgers' contract strategy this offseason. The club's contracts with Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez also include deferred payments for the next decade.

This way, the club is trying to be competitive in the short term while distributing its payments through deferrals in the next decade. However, after hearing about another deferred contract, fans on X (formerly Twitter) could not help but poke fun at the strategy.

"Money laundering scheme!" one fan said.

"In a few years the Dodgers are going to go bankrupt with all this deferred money…," another fan said.

Here are a few other fan reactions:

Will Smith buying in on Dodgers' World Series aspirations

Will Smith, 29, has potentially been locked to serve the franchise for the next decade. The catcher has been a consistent presence in the Dodgers clubhouse ever since he made his debut in May 2019.

After being signed for the next decade, Smith said retiring with the Dodgers would mean a lot to him. He also mentioned that the Dodgers are best placed to win many World Series this decade.

“I’ve loved being here since I got drafted in 2016,” Will Smith said Wednesday. “I don’t think I would be the player I am without being here. So for me to probably finish my career a Dodger means a lot. I couldn’t be happier and more excited moving forward.

"There’s no better organization that’s more committed to winning a World Series and that’s most important to me when it comes to baseball. I’m looking forward to these next 10 years.”

The Dodgers play their home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 28. They are 1-1 after tying the Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres.