Dodgers Eclipse $1B in MLB Free Agency Spending After Ohtani, Yamamoto Contracts

The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly broke out the checkbook this offseason.

First, they signed Shohei Ohtani to a massive 10-year, $700 million deal (much of which will be deferred). Then, they traded for pitcher Tyler Glasnow and agreed to a five-year, $135 million deal with the right-hander.

As if that's not enough, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday the National League West team agreed to a 12-year, $325 million contract with free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

In all, the Dodgers have spent over $1 billion this offseason as they chase a World Series title.

While Ohtani signed the biggest deal of the three, it was his that likely set the stage for Los Angeles to add Glasnow and Yamamoto as well.

After all, the two-way star elected to defer $680 million of the $700 million to be paid out after the deal ends from 2034 to 2043 without interest. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported he did so to enable the front office to continue adding pieces around him as it looked to build a contender.

That Ohtani wants to put his team in the best position to succeed comes as no surprise considering he never made the playoffs during his six years on the Los Angeles Angels. The two-time American League MVP is yet to taste sustained team success at the Major League level, but that will likely change in 2024.

Adding two quality pitchers in Glasnow and Yamamoto is particularly notable because Ohtani will not take the mound in 2024 following elbow surgery.

Clayton Kershaw is also a free agent, which left the Dodgers with some question marks at pitcher even after signing Ohtani to add to a lineup that already featured Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, among others.

Those questions aren't as glaring following the most recent additions.

Los Angeles' decision to build something of a superteam has not been followed by other squads around the league. Bob Nightengale of USA Today noted the league's other 29 teams have spent less than $900 million combined this offseason.

Anything less than a World Series crown would surely be seen as a massive disappointment for the Dodgers at this point.