"Shohei Ohtani single-handedly changed the market" - Ex-Phillies GM claims Dodger star reason for Juan Soto's $600,000,000 plus contract projections

Thanks to Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers signed last year, top MLB free agents like Juan Soto can demand a contract worth north of $600 million this offseason, according to Ruben Amaro Jr.

Before Ohtani's record-breaking contract, the best contract in the majors belonged to Mike Trout, who had signed a 12-year, $426 million contract in March 2019. That's a staggering jump of 64% between the two contracts. What Soto is about to sign this offseason could be in a similar range, something around $650 million.

That has led to Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (who had signed a 13-year, $330 million contract) feeling underpaid and reportedly up for contract renegotiations. Former Phillies GM Ruben Amaro addressed the situation, adding that Ohtani's historic numbers would have an impact on the deal Soto signs.

"Now, Bryce Harper may feel like he's being slighted, and he may feel like he's not getting the love that's necessary, but no one put a gun to his head to sign that contract," Ruben A. said Thursday on The Phillies Show (13:02 onwards). "At the time, it was a sort of historical contract, and, you know, things change over the years.

"It was clear that it got changed with Shohei Ohtani. He single-handedly changed the market and pushed it to where it is today. You would not see these numbers coming out for Soto right now if you didn't see those numbers for Ohtani a year ago."

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Difference between Juan Soto's potential contract and Shohei Ohtani's current deal

As Amaro said, Juan Soto and his agent Scott Boras are reaping the benefits of Shohei Ohtani's contract. However, there's one difference between Ohtani's deal and Soto's potential one.

Almost 97% of Ohtani's contract is deferred and will be paid in equal installments between 2034-43. However, Soto might not sign such a deferred contract but will likely have opts-out in place, which would help him test free agency again and likely upgrade his contract as per market value.