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Shohei Ohtani's $2 million salary pales in comparison to Chicago Cubs players
Several Cubs players will make more money than Shohei Ohtani next season thanks to the unique contract structure of the Japanese superstar's contract with the Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani's monstrous $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers will see him earn just $2 million a year, making his annual paycheck less than a lot of Chicago Cubs players.
The vast majority of Ohtani's deal - $680 million to be exact - will be dished out by the Dodgers over a 10-year period from 2033-2043. Ohtani agreed to the annual salary of $2 million to offer Los Angeles financial flexibility for the next decade as their payroll is already the highest in Major League Baseball. This is a noble act that will likely pay off in the short term for the team while Ohtani will be comically underpaid and make less money than most relief pitchers in the game today.
Here are five Chicago Cubs players who will make more money than Shohei Ohtani in 2024.
1. Patrick Wisdom: $2.725 million
Back in November, the Cubs announced they had avoided arbitration with Patrick Wisdom and agreed to bring back the slugging third baseman on a $2.725 million deal. Wisdom did not start every day in 2023 because he had to share playing time with Nick Madrigal and Jeimer Candelario, but he was still able to smack 23 home runs on the year.
While Wisdom's power is fantastic and his defense isn't shabby, the 32-year-old's peripheral numbers are fairly below average. The on-base percentage of .289 and strikeout percentage of 36.8% are particularly ugly. His role on the 2024 team will likely be similar to how it was in 2023, meaning a role-playing former journeyman third baseman will make more money than the most talented baseball player on the planet next year.
2. Drew Smyly: $10.5 million
Even if Shohei Ohtani was only a pitcher, he should still be making seven times the amount of money Drew Smyly does. On his best day, Smyly's efforts pale in comparison to an average start from Shohei Ohtani. Smyly certainly has his moments, but Ohtani's blistering velocity and strikeout rate are remarkable.
Not to mention the fact that Drew Smyly will likely be contained to a relief role in 2024 after he lost his starting duties in the middle of last summer. But the Cubs need reliable lefties in the bullpen so hopefully Smyly can deliver solid innings and earn that $10 million. Whatever Smyly does, he can rest easy in the fact that his paychecks will be significantly higher than the guy smacking 40+ home runs as the Dodgers' designated hitter.
3. Yan Gomes: $6 million
Catcher Yan Gomes is worth more than $6 million in my opinion not just for his on-field capabilities. Gomes did enjoy an exceptional year with the bat in 2023, which are few and far between as far as catchers go these days. And the Cubs pitching staff was certainly comfortable with Gomes' 12 years of experience behind the dish. But Gomes is a rock in this team's clubhouse and a seasoned veteran with significant playoff experience on multiple teams.
That kind of value is hard to put a dollar amount on but $6 million is certainly a bargain for everything Gomes brings to the table, which is not nearly as much as Ohtani will bring to the Dodgers in terms of value.
4. Jameson Taillon: $18 million
If Taillon continues to perform the way he did in 2023, this contract will continue to look really bad for Jed Hoyer. The 32-year-old starting pitcher was supposed to come in and provide stability to the Cubs' rotation. But the WAR of -0.1 and 4.84 ERA in 2023 don't exactly inspire confidence for Taillon's future.
With three more years left on his deal, Taillon needs to step up in a big way next year to earn his $18 million in my eyes. With Marcus Stroman likely departing in free agency and the Cubs depending on young starters, critical eyes will be on each one of Taillon's starts next year.
5. Adbert Alzolay: projected $2.3 million
Adbert Alzolay's salary for 2024 is not set in stone yet as he is entering his first year of arbitration. But the 28-year-old is projected to earn anywhere from $2.3 - $2.5 million depending on which source you use. Although his pay will jump significantly from the $744,750 he took home in 2023, the Cubs will still be getting Alzolay at a very reasonable rate, especially if he remains the team's closer.