Just when you thought that Shohei Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers couldn’t get more complicated, we got more information. We have now learned that there is a clause in his contract with L.A. that states he is eligible to opt out of his deal if the team changes a specific personnel member.
Ohtani can opt out of his contract at the end of the season if the change occurs. But it’s unknown who the clause is referring to. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was the first to report the news.
It has not been reported who this clause is referring to.
Could it be president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman? Could it be manager Dave Roberts?
It would make some sense if it were Friedman, as with him at the helm, the Dodgers will be major players in terms of spending. He is regarded as one of the best executives in the game, and the Dodgers are lucky to have him.
Ohtani likely trusts that Friedman will honor his end of the contract since he agreed to all the deferrals. The team will only be paying him $2 million each season, with $68 million of his annual salary being deferred until the end of the contract.
This helps the team in terms of spending and keeping them competitive for the duration he is with the Dodgers. Ohtani wants to win badly and a move like this signals that after he spent years in mediocrity with the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers are giving Ohtani the superstar treatment that he deserves, and all the minor details in his contract prove it. Both sides are taking a chance on each other, and they’re hoping that this bet pays off big time.
Landing Ohtani is the biggest get for this franchise, and possibly in sports history. The Dodgers owe it to themselves and him to build the best possible team that they can.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!