The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired what can only be considered as a superteam this offseason, bringing in massive amounts of talent including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez to add to an already impressive roster. But that doesn’t mean that they have forgotten about the players that brought them all the success they have had over the years.
Dodgers star catcher Will Smith has been one of the best players at his position over the past few seasons, slotting in perfectly as a middle of the lineup option for the team.
Not only is he a great hitter for his position. But he has also consistently ranked near the top of all catchers in defensive wins-above replacement (WAR).
The Dodgers clearly see the value he brings. Which is why they decided to extend him to a long-term contract that will keep him around for the large majority of his career barring any kind of trade.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Dodgers have signed Smith to a 10-year $140 million contract that is set to keep Smith around until he is 38 years old.
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
Naturally fans had plenty to say about the move on social media. Dodgers fans in particular seemed to love the move to kep Smith around long-term.
The core of this team is gonna be locked up for a decade lol….it’s so awesome being a Dodgers fan. https://t.co/Ge6EdoeUwM
— j (@jjlamb16) March 27, 2024
This is kind of a steal, Smith is an upper tier catcher and will have endless RBI opportunities hitting behind Ohtani Betts and Freeman https://t.co/91Xq9IDDeF
— Ian 😇 🧀 (@angelsfan270) March 27, 2024
Love this deal! Glad Will gets to stay a Dodger pretty much the rest of his career! https://t.co/2nhmmJoFuI pic.twitter.com/DAlIFxEyC5
— Declan (@Declan_2213) March 27, 2024
$14m AAV for a top-2 catcher in baseball the next decade lol I love being a Dodgers fan https://t.co/laJxCV7KOh
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) March 27, 2024
This seems like an absolute banger deal. WOW https://t.co/9pA427WGMG
— DaddyDimmuTV (@DaddyDimmuTv) March 27, 2024
On paper, it does seem like a pretty great deal for both parties. Smith gets a bunch of long-term security here within the Dodgers organization. And the Dodgers get one of the best catchers on a $14 million contract annually, which seems like a bit of a steal.
You can certainly argue that Smith should have garnered around $20 million a year when you compare his contract to some of the top catchers in the sport.
That being said, the Dodgers are compensating him well and are basically securing for him to make at least $14 million a year for the remain of his career.
The Dodgers have already locked up the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to long-term deals. Add in this Smith deal and you seemingly have a corps that is destined to succeed for years to come.
