The Los Angeles Dodgers spent this past offseason throwing down the big bucks by acquiring the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow.
They are now spending the day befor the official opening of the MLB season adding more to their long-term payroll.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Dodgers have signed All-Star catcher Will Smith to a whopping 10-year, $140 million contract extension.
Set to turn 29 on Thursday, Smith would have hit free agency in 2026 before signing the massive extension on Wednesday.
Related: Los Angeles Dodgers schedule for the 2023 season
Smith was an original first-round pick of the Dodgers out of Lousville in the 2016 MLB Draft. He made his debut with the big league club in 2019 and has been a mainstay in the lineup since.
- Will Smith stats (2023): .261 averaged, 19 HR, 76 RBI, .797 OPS
Over the course of the past three seasons, Smith is averaging 23 homers to go with 80 RBI per campaign.
Aside from his importance behind the backstop, Smith is the Dodgers’ cleanup hitter heading into the 2024 season. That’s an important role with the likes of Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the lineup.