Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers sounds like a blockbuster headline figure, but the deal is far more unusual than that. The deal shifted the Dodgers’ payroll strategy with $680 million deferred until 2034-43, and Ohtani’s commercial appeal drew major attention in Japan and around the world. The deal also helped to change how massive player contracts can be structured by MLB teams.
