LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers’ billion-dollar offseason simply received richer.
The Dodgers and catcher Will Smith are in settlement on a 10-year, $140 million contract extension, a league supply instructed The Athletic. The deal, which is pending a bodily, is anticipated to be introduced as quickly as Wednesday afternoon. It’s the longest contract for a catcher in main league historical past, in accordance with MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
After spending greater than $1 billion to free brokers this offseason, the Dodgers have now totaled $274 million in contract extensions this winter, setting into place the membership’s basis for the foreseeable future. The deal reportedly consists of deferred compensation, including to the pile of almost $1 billion in deferred cash the membership will owe a decade from now to the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández.
Smith has represented a logical extension candidate for the Dodgers for years, blossoming as a late first-round choose within the 2016 draft to turn out to be among the finest offensive catchers within the sport. Since his debut in 2019, Smith leads all catchers (min. 1,500 plate appearances) with a 128 wRC+ whereas producing an .840 OPS. And because the Dodgers pushed towards a window that’s firmly open now with the additions of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, the 28-year-old Smith represented a bit that made sense to lock down.
The 2 sides hadn’t engaged in any discussions by the start of spring coaching, Smith instructed The Athletic, with Smith set to hit free company after the 2025 season. But talks appeared to return collectively rapidly, permitting the Dodgers to maintain their backstop within the group for the following decade.
Smith has answered a number of questions on his means to remain on the place long-term, with coaches and front-office officers noting the strides he has made game-calling and commanding a pitching workers — an absence the membership notably felt final summer time when Smith missed a number of weeks as a result of a concussion.
The Dodgers, nevertheless, nonetheless have loads of depth on the place inside their system. Together with Austin Barnes (beneath contract via this season, with a 2025 membership choice), the membership already has Hunter Feduccia and Diego Cartaya on its 40-man roster. Feduccia will possible debut sooner or later this summer time whereas serving as a 3rd catcher. Cartaya, a former consensus top-10 prospect within the sport, has seen his inventory drop precipitously as a result of his historical past of again points and his .656 OPS in Double A final season.
The group additionally has a pair of catching prospects whose inventory goes up in Dalton Dashing and Thayron Liranzo, every of which has popped up on prospect lists this winter.
Smith’s bat provides the Dodgers purpose to consider in a 10-year dedication (which also needs to present some luxurious tax advantages), and that their catching depth may nonetheless be helpful. Smith has some transient infield expertise, probably making him an choice on the corners ought to he should ultimately transfer off catcher within the latter half of his contract.
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(Picture: Kirby Lee / USA At present)