The Dodgers are hoping to put a week of off-field drama behind them when they play their home opener Thursday, and they now have something to celebrate as the season gets underway.
Los Angeles agreed to a long-term contract extension with catcher Will Smith on Wednesday, locking up a key piece of their lineup for the next decade.
Smith might be a forgotten piece of the Dodgers’ core with three MVPs atop the team’s lineup, but it’s no surprise he was a priority for the organization. Everyday catchers who can hit well are hard to come by, and Smith can certainly do that. He averaged more than 22 home runs per season from 2021-23 and has a career .842 OPS along with a 2023 All-Star selection.
The Dodgers have enjoyed a busy offseason, and locking up Smith through 2033 is a nice cherry on top of a winter that saw them add Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Teoscar Hernandez among others.
Here are the details of Smith’s extension with the Dodgers.
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Will Smith contract details
The Dodgers agreed to a 10-year, $140 million contract extension with Smith, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: Catcher Will Smith and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a 10-year, $140 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2024
Smith, who turns 29 on Opening Day, was set to become a free agent after the 2025 season, but this deal covers his final two years of arbitration eligibility plus eight more years to run through 2033.
The bank has been open for the Dodgers all offseason, but thanks to the heavy referrals in Ohtani’s contract, they only had five players on the books for $10 million or more entering Wednesday. Only Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Glasnow and Hernandez will make more than Smith in 2024.
In its entirety, Smith’s deal could be labeled a bargain for the Dodgers. Smith appeared to trade average annual salary for long-term security, a $14 million is relatively light for one of baseball’s better catchers but the deal ensures he will be paid through his age-38 season.
Smith’s deal is the longest ever given to a catcher, but he is only MLB’s fourth-highest paid catcher behind J.T. Realmuto, Salvador Perez and Willson Contreras.
Smith recorded four hits in the Dodgers’ final Seoul Series game before returning stateside, showcasing his value as negotiations evidently neared a conclusion.
