OHTANI RIPPLE EFFECT

Ohtani's domino effect: How his contract shifts the Astros' fortunes

Houston Astros Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker
Could the Astros use the Dodgers' blueprint? Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images.

Shohei Ohtani announced he's signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In true Shohei fashion, he casually dropped a Dodger logo on Instagram while thanking the Angels organization and fans in the caption after explaining his decision. The 10-year, $700 million dollar deal almost seems cartoonish when compared to the other high profile deals signed in recent years. It's far and away the biggest contract in MLB and American sports history

Let's take a quick look at some of the numbers for comparison purposes: The overall value is $273.5 million more dollars than the $426.5 million dollar deal Mike Trout signed in 2019. His annual average value is $26.67 million per year higher than the ones Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer signed last year. The 10 years in length is two to four years shorter than guys like Julio Rodriguez, Bryce Harper, and Fernando Tatis Jr have signed in recent years.

Here are a couple tweets explaining things:

This isn't the Dodgers' first foray into deferred money. Combined with Mookie Betts' and Freddie Freeman's deals, they will owe the three players a whopping $857 million from 2033-2044! Their loophole discovery should be exploited to high heavens until it's changed!

"Now Jermaine...how and why is this beneficial to the Astros?" Glad you asked. As a decent-sized market for an MLB team, the Astros are in a unique position. They've been on a heater and need to keep that window open. Jim Crane wants to spend to compete, but not go crazy in the luxury tax. This is where Ohtani's idea to defer $680 million of his $700 million dollar deal to the 10 years AFTER his deal expires comes into play. The Astros have a couple of guys coming up for extensions next offseason in Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman. You may have heard of them. Or what about Kyle Tucker? He's proven himself almost as valuable to their future as Yordan Alvarez.

This mostly applies to Tucker. He's 26 now and will be 28 when/if he hits the open market. A left-handed hitting outfielder who has a pretty good tool set will command a ton of interest. Crane is known for staying away from long term deals to not hamstring the organization. However, if he could offset the initial costs by deferring money, why wouldn't he offer Tucker eight years for $240 or so million dollars and defer the money into future years?

I love Bregman and Altuve. I'd love for them to retire as Astros. But business needs to make sense for the franchise. Both guys are coming off good extensions and are ready for one last payday. Why not extend them and defer money, then possibly convert some of that into salary as a team consultant? Who wouldn't want Altuve as a batting coach, or Bregman as your fielding instructor?

If any of these pitchers (Framber Valdez comes to mind first) looks around and sees what others are getting, they're going to want big money as well. The biggest thing this hinges upon is the willingness of the player. Someone like Bregman and Altuve have made their money and get endorsements. They may be more open to this scenario. Tucker and Framber haven't had their second deals yet. They may not want to postpone the life-changing financial windfall. Especially since they already have rings.

“If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!” That phrase has always stood out to me. Sometimes, it makes me feel as if it condones whatever actions someone is doing, typically something illegal or against the rules. Other times, it could be a situation like this where someone discovers something amazing to aid their cause. Regardless of how/why this came about, it's time for the Astros to get creative in how they're going to keep this window open. If they don't, they may fall victim to being another team that flashed and now can no longer compete. Hopefully they keep flashing as long as they have something worth showing off.

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Astros beat the Mets, 3-1.Composite Getty Image.

Framber Valdez pitched seven scoreless innings and Josh Hader struck out Juan Soto with two on to save the Houston Astros' 3-1 win over the New York Mets on Thursday.

After loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth, Hader fanned backup catcher Hayden Senger in his first major league at-bat. Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly made it 3-1, and there were runners on first and third when Hader struck out Soto swinging at a full-count slider wide of the zone for his 200th career save.

Soto singled and walked twice in his Mets debut after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent this offseason.

Making his fourth straight opening day start, Valdez (1-0) allowed four hits and struck out four.

Converted reliever Clay Holmes (0-1) yielded five hits and three runs — two earned — while walking four in 4 2/3 innings. Pitching on his 32nd birthday in his Mets debut, the former All-Star closer with the Yankees made his first big league start since making four as a rookie with Pittsburgh in 2018.

Jeremy Peña got hit by a pitch with one out in the second before touted prospect Cam Smith grounded an opposite-field single on the first pitch he saw in the majors. Brendan Rodgers walked to load the bases and Houston took a 1-0 lead when Jake Meyers grounded into a forceout that scored Peña.

Yainer Diaz hit an RBI single in a two-run third that extended the lead to 3-0.

The Mets debuted the No. 7 patches they’ll wear on their uniforms all season to remember Ed Kranepool, who died in September at 79. Kranepool spent his entire 18-year career with the Mets and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 1990.

Don't miss the video below as Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan from Stone Cold 'Stros react live to the win on YouTube!


Key moment

Hader finally closed it out on his 35th pitch — two more than his season high last year.

Key stat

Houston’s Jose Altuve made his first career start in left field after making his previous 1,749 starts in the field at second base.

Up next

Mets RHP Tylor Megill opposes RHP Hunter Brown when the series continues Friday night.

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