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Dodgers owe $1.06 billion in deferred money to 9 players through 2047 after Edwin Díaz deal
NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Díaz won’t receive all of his $69 million from the Dodgers until 2047, with the closer’s deal raising deferred payment obligations for the two-time World Series champions to more than $1.06 billion due to nine players.
As part of the three-year contract announced Friday, Díaz gets a $9 million signing bonus payable on Feb. 1, according to terms obtained by The Associated Press.
He receives a $14 million salary next year and $23 million in each of the following two seasons. The Dodgers will defer $4.5 million annually.
Díaz’s deferred money is payable in 10 equal installments each July 1. The 2026 money is due from 2036-45, the 2027 money from 2037-46 and the 2028 money from 2038-47.
Los Angeles has a $6.5 million conditional team option for 2029 with no buyout. The option could be exercised if he has a specified injury through the end of the 2028 season and he does not end the season or postseason healthy, or if he has a specified surgery.
If the conditional option is exercised, he could earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses for 2029 based on games finished: $750,000 each for 45 and 50 games and $1 million for 55.
Díaz gets a hotel suite on road trips and will make a charitable contribution of 1% of his income.
His deferred payments raise the Dodgers’ total to $1,064,500. Their high point due in a year is $102.3 million in both 2038 and 2039.
Ohtani, Betts, Snell and Freeman among others owed deferred
Los Angeles also owes deferred payments to two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($680 million from 2034-43), outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts ($115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35), left-hander Blake Snell ($66 million from 2035-46), first baseman Freddie Freeman ($57 million from 2028-40), catcher Will Smith ($50 million from 2034-43) and utilityman Tommy Edman ($25 million from 2037-44), reliever Tanner Scott ($21 million 2035-46) and outfielder Teoscar Hernández ($32 million from 2030-39).
Bullpen was Dodgers’ weakness this year
A three-time All-Star who turns 32 on March 22, Díaz had 28 saves in 31 chances last season with a 6-3 record and 1.63 ERA for a disappointing Mets team that failed to reach the playoffs despite spending the second most behind the Dodgers. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings.
Díaz has 253 saves in 294 chances over nine seasons with Seattle (2016-18) and New York. Díaz agreed to a $102 million, five-year contract with the Mets after the 2022 season, a deal that included deferred money payable through 2042. He gave up $38 million he would have been owed in the final two years with the Mets.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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