Former MLB GM admits concern over Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers deal - "I was a little uncomfortable with the values given the injury"

To say that the announcement of Shohei Ohtani's contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers shook the world would be no understatement. With a ten-year commitment valued at $700 million, the deal was the largest in pro sports history.

Although the deal was generally lauded, not everyone seems to think that the Dodgers made the deal with a clear head. Recently, a former MLB GM chimed in on the circumstances surrounding the deal, and why there might be some holes in it.

Dan Duquette is a veteran executive who boasts more than 30 years of experience in various MLB front offices. On the heels of Shohei Ohtani's blockbuster deal, the 65-year old claimed that he would have had reservations had it been his team extending the mammoth offer. Duquette told TMZ Sports:

"I was a little uncomfortable with the values given the injury"

Dan Duquette was making reference to Shohei Ohtani's relatively precarious health. On account of surgery undergone in September, the 29-year old Japanese stud is not expected to pitch until at least 2025. Although the Los Angeles Dodgers were fully aware of this, the situation still raises alarm bells for Duquette.

Formerly GM of the Red Sox and Expos, Duquette served as the General Manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 2011 until 2018. In his second season at the helm, the O's made the postseason, breaking a fifteen-year drought.

To add to the concern expressed by Duquette, the Dodgers will be on the hook to pay Ohtani for far longer than the next decade. After announcing a massive deferral clause, Ohtani will earn a mere $2 million per year, with the remaining $680 million to be paid out incrementally on the completion of his contract in 2034.

Dan Duquette's qualms raise important questions for Shohei Ohtani deal

Under the deal's deferral, Ohtani will be taking a $28 million pay cut compared to what he earned as a member of the Los Angeles Angels last year. However, ten years is still an incredibly long time.

When the mirth surrounding the deal finally fades, then perhaps more people will be bringing up the potential long-term exposure that the Dodgers have subjected themselves to. The statistics for pitchers who have undergone more than one reconstructive surgeries is not exactly enouraging. Perhaps in five or seven years, Dodgers fans will be wishing it had been Dan Duquette at the helm when this deal was being hammered out.