Dodgers deferred payroll total rises to $915.5M after adding $50M more in catcher Will Smith’s deal

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

Catcher Will Smith’s $140 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers includes $50 million payable from 2034-43, raising the team’s deferred compensation liability to $915.5 million owed five players.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández also are due deferred payments extending from 2028-44.

Smith receives a $30 million signing bonus under the deal announced Wednesday, half payable on Nov. 15 and the rest on Jan. 15, 2025, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press.

He gets salaries of $13.55 million this year. $13 million a year from 2025-27, $9.5 million annually from 2028-32 and $9.95 million in 2033.

Los Angeles will defer $5 million annually, to be paid in equal installments of $5 million each July 1 from 2034-43.

If Smith is traded, remaining salary will be paid in-season and deferrals eliminated for the remainder of the contract.

Smith gets a hotel suite on road trips and will made an annual charitable contribution.

Ohtani is due $680 million from 2034-43, Freeman $57 million from 2028-40 and Hernández $8.5 million from 2030-39. Betts is owed $115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB