The Los Angeles Dodgers have once again reminded the baseball world that when it comes to big spending and roster-building creativity, they’re playing chess while others are playing checkers. Their latest move? Landing All-Star closer Edwin Díaz - and doing it in a way that stretches the financial impact over more than two decades.
Díaz inked a three-year, $69 million deal with LA, but the real headline isn’t just the money - it’s how the money is being paid out. The Dodgers structured the contract with $13.5 million in deferred payments, set to be distributed in 10 equal installments from 2036 to 2047.
That’s $4.5 million deferred each year, with each season’s salary essentially being time-released over a 10-year window starting a decade down the line. It’s the kind of financial maneuvering that lets the Dodgers stay aggressive today without taking the full cap hit in the moment.
This isn’t new territory for LA, but it’s certainly uncharted in terms of scale. With Díaz now on the books, the Dodgers’ total deferred obligations across nine players - including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Blake Snell - have ballooned to a staggering $1.06 billion. Ohtani alone accounts for $680 million of that figure, a number that’s still hard to wrap your head around even months after his groundbreaking deal.
To put it in perspective: the Dodgers are now committed to paying over a billion dollars in deferred salaries, with the peak years for those payments landing in 2038 and 2039, when they’ll owe $102.3 million annually. That’s a future payroll that would rival some teams’ current total salary commitments - and it’s all for players who may no longer be on the roster by then.
But here’s the thing - this is by design. The Dodgers aren’t just throwing around Monopoly money.
They’re leveraging their financial might and long-term vision to keep a championship-caliber roster intact in the present. By pushing payments into the future, they’re creating room to stay active in the market now, without sacrificing the depth and star power that’s made them perennial contenders.
Díaz’s decision to choose LA over other suitors adds another layer to the story. According to reports, the Atlanta Braves made a strong push for the All-Star closer, reportedly offering a five-year deal - a longer term than what the Dodgers or Mets had on the table.
But Díaz had a number in mind: he wanted at least $20 million in average annual value after accounting for deferrals. Atlanta wasn’t willing to meet that figure, and instead pivoted to Robert Suárez, another All-Star-caliber arm who came at a lower cost.
That move fits the Braves’ offseason approach - aggressive, but measured. They’ve been chasing bullpen upgrades and weren’t afraid to swing big, but when the price tag on Díaz didn’t align with their long-term plans, they shifted gears. It’s a reminder that even in a high-stakes market, value still matters.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers continue to operate like a franchise that’s not just trying to win now, but trying to win every year - with a front office that’s willing to get creative to make that happen. The Díaz signing isn’t just about adding one of the best closers in the game. It’s about maintaining flexibility, managing risk, and maximizing opportunity - all while writing checks that won’t be cashed for another decade.
In LA, the future is expensive - but so is the present. And the Dodgers are betting that both are worth it.