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How the Dodgers are only paying $3 million for Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker in 2026
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- How the Dodgers are only paying $3 million for Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker in 2026
How the Dodgers are only paying $3 million for Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker in 2026 appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Going into 2026, the Los Angeles Dodgers will once again be the team to beat for three reasons. They are the defending World Series champions , Shohei Ohtani is the reigning MVP , and Kyle Tucker signed a $240 million contract for four years .
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However, their two top sluggers are only receiving a total of $3 million in salary, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Ohtani is being paid $2 million with $68 million deferred. Conversely, Tucker is being paid $1 million, with a $64 million signing bonus awaiting him before spring training.
This past year, Ohtani batted .282 with 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 172 hits. Tucker finished with a .266 batting average, 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 133 hits with the Chicago Cubs .
In 2023, Ohtani made baseball history by signing a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers. He is receiving $2 million annually, with the remaining $680 million deferred and without interest, to be paid out between 2034 and 2043. It also includes a no-trade clause, keeping him a Dodger for life.
Meanwhile, Tucker's deal includes that signing bonus as well as $30 million in deferred compensation. The deal value is approximately $57.1 million.
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From a baseball standpoint, the Dodgers are world beaters. With Ohtani and Tucker in the lineup, there are still Will Smith , Freddie Freeman , and Mookie Betts . If they win it again, the Dodgers will be the first team since the New York Yankees (1998-2000) to win three consecutive World Series.
Overall, Los Angeles has the highest payroll in MLB, including the luxury tax, at $413 million. That is $100 million more than any other team in the league. Their overall cash payroll is $196,782,500.
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