Playing Now, Paying Later: The Future of Deferred Compensation in Major League Baseball
The Ohtani Contract Arguably the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, signed a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. However, he will not receive most of the contract’s value for another decade. Of the contract’s $700 million total value, $680 million is deferred until 2034 through 2043. Deferred compensation is not a new concept in Major League Baseball. Players such as Bobby Bonilla, Manny Ramirez, and Mookie Betts have previously agreed to contracts featuring...
