8 MLB Teams Whose Payrolls Are Overshadowed By Shohei Ohtani’s Historic $700 Million Deal

Some things just sound so astounding that one has to read them again and again to believe. The $700 million contract of Shohei Ohtani is one such thing. Fun fact – Ohtani’s contract is bigger than the economy of Dominica and not just them, it’s bigger than 12 small countries worldwide. Surprisingly, there’s more – The AAV of Shotime’s contract is bigger than the payroll of 8 MLB teams.  

Sports has never really shied from the fact that teams have variances in their income and budget. Teams in big markets with even bigger successes naturally have more money to spend. But what the LA Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani have recently announced to do is something nearly unprecedented in the league. This has led to overshadowing of 8 major league teams in terms of their payroll.

Shohei Ohtani is set to earn more than some of the team’s overall payroll

When Ohtani’s free agency started nearly every expert said that $500 million was the base price, gradually that shifted to $600 million. Everyone expected things to be between these two numbers, then, yesterday Ohtani announced his deal with the Dodgers. It left the entire sporting world gasping for air when they heard the contract was a whopping $700 million! 

What’s even more interesting is that it is for 10 years which means the AAV of this contract is $70 million. The insanity of this number can be understood by a simple thing – some teams have a payroll that’s much lower than this. According to Sportrac, these eight teams’ expected payroll in 2024 is below the $70 million AAV of Ohtani’s contract. 

1. The Cleveland Guardians – $66 million
2. Miami Marlins – $65 million
3. Kansas City Royals – $65 million
4. Milwaukee Brewers – $61 million
5. Cincinnati Reds – $59 million
6. Pittsburgh Pirates – $54 million
7. Baltimore Orioles – $42 million
8. Oakland Athletics – $38 million 

It won’t be correct to call this his salary because reports have come that the two-time MVP requested to add deferrals in his salary to maintain the Dodgers’ payroll. That Shohei Ohtani is not only the most expensive player in the baseball world but is also bigger than a few teams is a testament to his qualities that he brings to the table. But if the Dodgers are paying this much, what will they get in return?

What Shotime’s presence means for the team

Japanese economist Katsuhiro Miyamoto calculated the impact that Ohtani has on the economy. For instance, for 2023, he predicted that Ohtani’s economic impact would be 50.4 Yen or roughly $342m; £272m. This includes his endorsements, the fans traveling to see him, ads being broadcast on his home stadium, etc.

Read more: MLB Insider Linked to Shohei Ohtani Conspiracy, Resulting in Inflated $700 Million Contract

Moreover, in 2022, Miyamoto’s total estimate resulted in 631,174 fans who came to see Ohtani in the stadium, which accounted for $45 million in ticket sales. “We are thankful to live in the same era where we can witness Ohtani’s greatness,” Miyamoto summed up.

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