Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting contract, by the numbers
If the Red Sox wanted to sign Ohtani, it would have cost John Henry more than what he paid for the Red Sox in 2002.
Shohei Ohtani broke records with his 10-year, $700 million contract for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s difficult to comprehend such a large figure; Ohtani now owns the largest contract in the history of North American sports. The Red Sox were linked to the star for a time, but dropped out, possibly due to the growing number the former Angels ace/slugger was set to receive.
See how Ohtani’s contract compares to other important players and events in Boston sports history:
John Henry bought the Red Sox for $660 million.
That’s right. If John Henry wanted to bring Ohtani to Boston, he would’ve had to cough up more money than what he paid for the entire Red Sox organization.
In 2002, Henry and his partners purchased the franchise for $660 million. Certainly, inflation changes that number, and Henry’s added plenty of value to the Red Sox. The Boston team is now worth an estimated $4.5 billion, and Henry ventured into other sports teams as the founder of Fenway Sports Group.
Even with the money at his disposal, though, it’d hard to comprehend that 21 years ago, an entire baseball team — and a notable one, at that — didn’t cost as much as one star player’s contract cost in 2023.
Tom Brady’s career NFL earnings: $333 million.
Maybe Brady should have chosen baseball after all.
Despite being considered the greatest quarterback — and arguably the greatest player — in NFL history, Brady’s NFL earnings pale in comparison to Ohtani’s new contract.
According to Spotrac, Brady’s total NFL salary for 23 seasons was just shy of $333 million. That’s not even half of what Ohtani will earn over the next 10 seasons.
Even throwing in ventures outside the NFL, the money Brady made during his entire career is still $150 million short. Brady reportedly made a total of $550 million during his playing days, according to Kurt Badenhausen.
The Celtics’ starting lineup doesn’t come close.
Jaylen Brown signed the richest contract in NBA history this offseason, but that $304 million extension isn’t in the same solar system as Ohtani’s deal.
In fact, the Celtics’ entire starting lineup currently costs less than what Ohtani commanded in free agency. And it’s not even particularly close.
The Celtics would owe their starting five roughly $612 million if they paid out all five deals in full today. Brown accounts for almost half that, and the conversation would be different if Jayson Tatum could have signed his supermax in the offseason.
As it stands, Tatum is owed about $104 million over the next three years. Kristaps Porzingis will command $96 million through 2025-26. Jrue Holiday has two years, $72 million left on his deal. And Derrick White’s contract is worth $36 million through the next two years.
Babe Ruth made about $800,000 in his career.
Ruth and Ohtani’s names have been intertwined for years.
Many comparisons are drawn between Ruth and Ohtani for their ability to dominate on the mound and at the plate. Ruth is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and Ohtani is marching toward history in his own right.
One thing that isn’t remotely comparable between the two, though, is how much they made playing the game.
Ruth only mustered about $800,000 during his entire career from 1914-1935. He began his career making $600 annually. For context, it would only take Ohtani about 5 minutes to accrue $600 with the value of his new contract.
Again, inflation exists, and Ruth’s career earnings can be translated to about $18 million in today’s dollars. But Ohtani’s deal is still almost 40 times more than that.
In the simplest of terms, Ohtani commanded an absurd amount of money in free agency, even without the ability to pitch in 2024.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com