LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani’s groundbreaking agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers includes a provision that allows him to opt out of the contract if there are specific changes in the team’s ownership or front office leadership, according to sources in the industry.
Details of Ohtani’s contract were shared with agents by the Major League Baseball Players Association and indicate that he has the option to exit the deal “at the end of the season the change occurs” if there is a designated alteration in Dodger personnel. While the contract document does not explicitly mention names, sources have confirmed that this provision is related to owner Mark Walter and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
Ohtani made headlines with his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, establishing himself as the highest-paid athlete in North American professional sports history. The contract, which features substantial deferred payments, will see Ohtani receive $680 million between 2034 and 2043.
To account for these deferred sums, the Dodgers will set aside an additional $44 million in an escrow account. The total contractual value, inclusive of these deferred payments, is reported as $437,830,563 by the MLBPA. Despite the deferred structure, the Dodgers’ annual charge towards their competitive balance tax payroll will remain around $46 million.
While the contract lacks a conventional opt-out clause, it does grant Ohtani a full no-trade clause. In addition, Ohtani will enjoy a suite at Dodger Stadium for all regular and postseason games and has committed to donating up to 1% of his earnings to the Dodgers’ charitable foundation, a customary feature in free-agent agreements.