This MLB offseason market has been the talk of the town this season. There have been some big-money signings, and some underrated signings, and the talent pool this offseason is massive. Between all this, the Dodgers have made the headlines multiple times. Some for good reasons but mostly for bad ones. And the Toronto Blue Jays could catch strays.

The Los Angeles Dodgers found a loophole in the system and have been exploiting it. They have been deferring salaries of players for a long time now which has had an impact on MLB and the state of California. Reports say that due to this, there was a $138 million loss to the state. Now, there has been a new team that has come to light facing the same allegations.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Anthony Santander on January 20 2025 for $92.5 million. This also came with $61.75MM in deferred money. This was a big signing for the Blue Jays. Let us look at the breakdown of the contract and how much money is differed every year.

They gave him s signing bonus of $13.5 million out of which $6.75 million was differed. Then there was a deferred amount of $10 million every year till the year 2029. If the contract is extended till 2030, he will be paid $15 million and also have a $5 million guaranteed buyout clause with all of it differed. Santander can opt out after the 2027 season which would leave $32.5 million (with $25 million deferred) for 2028-29 on the table.

The Toronto Blue Jays are in the luxury tax bracket of 20% rate for spending between $241MM and $261MM. If the Blue Jays exceed the $261 million mark, they will be taxed at a rate of 32%. But by differing the salary they can keep it below that and can still make other signings. But we have seen that there have been some problems between the state of California and the Dodgers over this. The Blue Jays will be taking the risk of facing similar issues if they get found to be at fault.

Dodgers hit a grand slam in the offseason: dominating the MLB market with big moves

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on an absolute spree in the MLB market this offseason. They have dominated the market by signing some big names that are very important to other teams as well. This shopping spree has led to them becoming the new villains of MLB. The Dodgers had one goal this offseason: build the best team possible. And they have become very successful in doing that. This has led to many fans showing their frustration and wanting a salary floor and a salary cap.

The Dodgers mainly improved their pitching department this offseason. They have integrated some young talent into their star-studded squad. They made some signings like Roki Sakai. Hye-Seong Kim and Tanner Scott were the most wanted names this offseason. They also signed Blake Snell for a whopping 5-year, $182 million contract. These signings have strengthened their already super squad.

There’s no question that the Los Angeles Dodgers have made some major splashes in this offseason. With an aggressive approach to the MLB market, they’ve locked down some of the game’s most desired players and further secured their roster. But perhaps most importantly, the Dodgers’ splurges have re-ignited a conversation on the fairness of money in baseball. Their rejuvenated roster, with their significantly enhanced pitching, makes the Dodgers one of the most promising teams heading into next season. However, now they have emerged as the ‘bad guys, it will really bring a fantastic flavor of drama into the league in pursuit of further glory.