Soto Showdown: Dodgers Faces Fans Backlash Over Proposed Deferred Contract for Superstar
The Los Angeles Dodgers have already made headlines this winter with yet another deferred contract. The team signed Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal with $66 million in deferrals. Could they land Juan Soto with yet another deferred contract?
While listing star players the Dodgers could land by offering another heavily deferred deal, FanSided’s Zach Pressnell noted that Soto could end up in Los Angeles if he is willing to take a deferred deal.
“The Dodgers will likely miss on Soto because they won’t be able to bid as high as the Yankees and Mets, but the fact that they can bid higher than $600 million and make a real attempt at the superstar is incredible,” wrote Pressnell. “There really is no limit to these deferrals. If Soto was willing to take a shot at deferred money, the Dodgers would likely be seen as the favorites to land him.”
Soto has already noted that he does not want to sign a deferred deal. However, the Dodgers have shown there is no limit to how much they are willing to spend by using deferrals. Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal includes $680 million in deferred salary. Could the prospect of playing with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman is enough to sway Soto into a deal with the Dodgers?
In all likelihood, Soto will not end up with the Dodgers. However, if they want any chance of signing him it will have to be through a ridiculously high total value if they plan on having Soto accept deferrals.
Soto joining the Dodgers would have a similar feel to Kevin Durant going to the Golden State Warriors. It would surely outrage fans. The reality is that the Dodgers are mortgaging their future to win championships now while they have Ohtani, Betts and Freeman.
