Dodgers payroll after breaking the bank for Shohei Ohtani contract

The Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest catch of the offseason so far on Saturday when they landed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. They signed the reigning American League MVP and former Los Angeles Angels star to a 10-year, $700 million contract, which is officially the largest deal in North American sports history.

But how much money do the Dodgers have left to spend on other players? Surely, there are other players that they could sign in order to enhance their chances of winning a World Series title.

On Twitter, Jeff Passan of ESPN provided a little context and revealed just how much Los Angeles still has available.

Dodgers payroll after Ohtani contract

Passan explained that much of the money on Ohtani's contract is actually deferred, which means the Competitive Balance Tax number is discounted. While Ohtani's contract will give him a total of $700 million once fulfilled, the Dodgers only have to pay him roughly $40-50 million per year instead of $70 million.

A CBT number is typically the average annual value of the deal, but that number is less due to Ohtani accepting deferrals. This means that the Dodgers still have plenty of money left to spend.

While Walker Buehler is returning from Tommy John surgery, the rest of the Dodgers rotation is surrounded by question marks. Ohtani is currently recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, meaning he will be strictly limited to hitting duties in 2024. Dustin May will also begin the season on the injured list as he recovers from his second Tommy John surgery. Tony Gonsolin is dealing with the same issue and will miss much of the 2024 season.

But with money available to spend, the Dodgers have options in free agency. Both Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have yet to sign. Adding a second ace would make the Dodgers serious contenders for a World Series crown.

And when Ohtani returns to pitching in 2025, the Dodgers could have a truly scary pitching staff. But for now, even with spots to fill in their rotation, they at least have plenty of money to spend to bolster the front end, even after the Ohtani signing.

The Dodgers won 101 games during the regular season and earned the second seed in the National League before being swept in the NLDS by the Arizona Diamondbacks.