‘It’s cheating’ – Travis Kelce called out Dodgers over Shohei Ohtani’s controversial $700 million contract that changed MLB
Travis Kelce is a huge Shohei Ohtani fan. But the three-time Super Bowl winner initially was not a huge supporter of how the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers handled Ohtani’s record-setting $700 million contract. Shohei Ohtani is trying to lead the Dodgers back to the World Series “It’s cheating. It’s cheating,” Kelce said on his New Heights podcast. “You can’t f******* do that. What’s the point of the (salary) cap? Is there a cap in baseball?” The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 4-1 in the World Series last season, while a newly married Ohtani won the National League MVP. Los Angeles begin its 2025 title defense on Tuesday with a two-game matchup against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan. The cheapest ticket for the second game in the series was $1,391 on the secondary market. Ohtani started a new year 0-for-2, while the Cubs held an early 1-0 lead. Ohtani, 30, is a three-time MVP with 225 career home runs and a 3.01 ERA. He’s the Babe Ruth of contemporary baseball, and has accomplished feats never seen before in the sport’s history. But the Dodgers also hold a 2025 payroll of $306 million, and some critics believe that the star-laden club is ruining Major League Baseball with its outlandish spending. “I would be shocked if this contract is allowed to stand,” said Jason Kelce, after Ohtani jumped across town and left the Angels to sign with the Dodgers. His $700 million deal was later surpassed by the $765m that Juan Soto received from the New York Mets. Travis Kelce is a big Ohtani fan but had questions about his unique contract GettyOhtani has helped grow MLB internationally in Seoul and Tokyo[/caption] With almost all of Ohtani’s $700 million deferred for the next 10 years by the Dodgers, Travis couldn’t believe that the unorthodox structure of the contract was allowed by MLB. Throw in the fact that the Dodgers are co-owned by Todd Boehly, who’s also a co-owner of Chelsea, and Ohtani’s contract looked even stranger to the Kelce brothers. By only paying Ohtani $2 million a year for the next decade, the Dodgers have the ability to sign more big-name free agents while having Ohtani on a loaded roster that features Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. That type of long-term deal has already been used by billionaire Bohely in England’s Premier League, where Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are among players who have signed lengthy deals on huge contracts, with Chelsea spreading out the cost for almost a decade. “This is basically just making room for [the Dodgers] to go out and get another Shohei Ohtani,” Travis said. “Ohtani signs $700 million contract with the Dodgers. What in the f***? is really going on in this world? This man made almost three-quarter of a billion dollars in one day. Just went to the other side of LA to play some baseball for the next ten years.” While Jason pointed out that Lionel Messi actually had a larger average annual value contract with Barcelona, both Kelce brothers praised Ohtani’s sport-changing talent. “The dude is unbelievable,” Jason said. Travis believed that Ohtani is so special he will change the future of MLB by inspiring more young athletes to take a two-way approach in the sport. “Shoutout to Ohtani, man,” Travis said. “Guy comes over here, arguably one of the greatest baseball players ever to do it, signs $700 million over the next 10 years. “You know what it is? I think it’s going to change baseball. I think we’re going to see a lot more two-way players growing up or coming up in the MLB.” Travis Hunter is trying to become the Ohtani of the NFL. The former Colorado star is vying to become the No. 1 pick of the upcoming draft, and is attempting to play corner back and wide receiver without rest in the pros. Travis also questioned whether Hunter can really pull off being a two-way player week after week in the NFL. “He’s gonna have to prove that he can do it,” Travis said. “Nobody has ever played every single play on both sides. When Deion (Sanders) did it, he was in, like, nickel. He was in certain packages, I believe.”
Travis Kelce is a huge Shohei Ohtani fan.
But the three-time Super Bowl winner initially was not a huge supporter of how the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers handled Ohtani’s record-setting $700 million contract.
“It’s cheating. It’s cheating,” Kelce said on his New Heights podcast. “You can’t f******* do that. What’s the point of the (salary) cap? Is there a cap in baseball?”
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 4-1 in the World Series last season, while a newly married Ohtani won the National League MVP.
Los Angeles begin its 2025 title defense on Tuesday with a two-game matchup against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan.
The cheapest ticket for the second game in the series was $1,391 on the secondary market.
Ohtani started a new year 0-for-2, while the Cubs held an early 1-0 lead.
Ohtani, 30, is a three-time MVP with 225 career home runs and a 3.01 ERA.
He’s the Babe Ruth of contemporary baseball, and has accomplished feats never seen before in the sport’s history.
But the Dodgers also hold a 2025 payroll of $306 million, and some critics believe that the star-laden club is ruining Major League Baseball with its outlandish spending.
“I would be shocked if this contract is allowed to stand,” said Jason Kelce, after Ohtani jumped across town and left the Angels to sign with the Dodgers.
His $700 million deal was later surpassed by the $765m that Juan Soto received from the New York Mets.
With almost all of Ohtani’s $700 million deferred for the next 10 years by the Dodgers, Travis couldn’t believe that the unorthodox structure of the contract was allowed by MLB.
Throw in the fact that the Dodgers are co-owned by Todd Boehly, who’s also a co-owner of Chelsea, and Ohtani’s contract looked even stranger to the Kelce brothers.
By only paying Ohtani $2 million a year for the next decade, the Dodgers have the ability to sign more big-name free agents while having Ohtani on a loaded roster that features Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
That type of long-term deal has already been used by billionaire Bohely in England’s Premier League, where Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are among players who have signed lengthy deals on huge contracts, with Chelsea spreading out the cost for almost a decade.
“This is basically just making room for [the Dodgers] to go out and get another Shohei Ohtani,” Travis said.
“Ohtani signs $700 million contract with the Dodgers. What in the f***? is really going on in this world? This man made almost three-quarter of a billion dollars in one day. Just went to the other side of LA to play some baseball for the next ten years.”
While Jason pointed out that Lionel Messi actually had a larger average annual value contract with Barcelona, both Kelce brothers praised Ohtani’s sport-changing talent.
“The dude is unbelievable,” Jason said.
Travis believed that Ohtani is so special he will change the future of MLB by inspiring more young athletes to take a two-way approach in the sport.
“Shoutout to Ohtani, man,” Travis said. “Guy comes over here, arguably one of the greatest baseball players ever to do it, signs $700 million over the next 10 years.
“You know what it is? I think it’s going to change baseball. I think we’re going to see a lot more two-way players growing up or coming up in the MLB.”
Travis Hunter is trying to become the Ohtani of the NFL.
The former Colorado star is vying to become the No. 1 pick of the upcoming draft, and is attempting to play corner back and wide receiver without rest in the pros.
Travis also questioned whether Hunter can really pull off being a two-way player week after week in the NFL.
“He’s gonna have to prove that he can do it,” Travis said.
“Nobody has ever played every single play on both sides. When Deion (Sanders) did it, he was in, like, nickel. He was in certain packages, I believe.”
