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Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is set to make more than $100 million in endorsement money for the 2026 season, according to a new report. Ohtani, the star of the Dodgers, signed a 10-year, $700 million deal, with $70 million per season. However, to help the team build consistent title contenders, he deferred $680 million of the $700 million until 2034, when he will be paid $680 million over 10 years.
This means he will only be paid $2 million per year from straight-up salary, but Ohtani is far from struggling to get by, even with Los Angeles prices. Mar 14, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Japan designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (16) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Venezuela in the first inning during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images According to Sportico , the Dodgers player will earn $125 million in 2026 from sponsorships, surpassing his previous record by $25 million.
He earned $100 million in 2025, a figure that only Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Stephen Curry reached, the highest being Woods’ 2009 $105 million. Adjusted for inflation, per Sportico , Woods is still higher at $160 million, leaving Ohtani $35 million shy of the total. In terms of baseball, Ohtani is in a league of his own with regard to sponsorship earnings.
The previous bests before him were around $10 million for Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LA Sports Report (@lasportsreport) Shohei Ohtani is well paid Despite his low salary, Ohtani is still the highest paid baseball player in MLB, earning $127 million in total, more than double former Dodger Cody Bellinger, who got a massive contract from the New York Yankees. “Ohtani’s 2026 endorsement tally is not only a record in sports, but it is also unmatched in the gap compared to the No.
2 in the sports,” Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico wrote in a story. “His projected off0-field earnings are 14x what Judge and Bryce Harper should bank this year. The closest instance of a disparity between the top two athletes in a major sport over the past 30 years was Usain Bolt at his peak, making $30 million a year, 10x anyone else has in track.