On July 1, 2026, former Dominican baseball player Manny Ramírez received the final payment corresponding to the deferred salary agreed upon with the Boston Red Sox in 2011, thus bringing to a close one of the most iconic contracts in MLB’s financial history.

The original agreement was signed following the signing of his eight-year, $160 million contract prior to the 2001 season, which was considered at the time one of the most significant in professional baseball.

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Manny Ramírez received payments from the Red Sox even after retiring from the majors.

In this regard, the team based at Fenway Park continued to pay Manny approximately $2 million annually for more than a decade after he left the organization.

Today’s final payment brought an end to an obligation that extended far beyond the player’s 19-season active career (eight of which were with the Boston Red Sox), reflecting an increasingly common financial practice in Major League Baseball.

It is worth noting that Manny Ramírez left an indelible mark as a cornerstone of the American League East team’s offense; during his time with the team, he was instrumental in winning the 2004 and 2007 World Series, including being named Most Valuable Player of the 2004 World Series, which ended an 86-year championship drought for the franchise.

According to data compiled by the statistics website Baseball Reference, the Dominican player ranks among the top 10 hitters in the history of the Massachusetts team, with a total of 1,232 hits, 274 home runs, 868 RBIs, and a career batting average of .312.

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This achievement is on par with Shohei Ohtani’s current status with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Interestingly, the former Red Sox slugger’s earnings matched, on an annual basis, the income received by Japanese star Shohei Ohtani; Ohtani currently earns just $2 million per season, despite having signed the largest contract in professional sports history, valued at $700 million.

The agreement includes a deferral of $680 million, to be paid between 2034 and 2043 in annual installments of $68 million each.

This highlights how finances have evolved in baseball, and what was once considered exceptional is now part of planning strategies that allow franchises to maintain budgetary flexibility without giving up the ability to sign big-name players.

Who is Manny Ramírez?

Manny Ramírez is a 54-year-old former professional baseball player and one of the most productive hitters of his generation in Major League Baseball. Over a 19-season career, he was selected to 12 All-Star Games, won nine Silver Slugger Awards, claimed one American League batting title, and finished his career with 555 home runs, 2,574 hits, and 1,831 RBIs.

Born in the Dominican Republic, he played for five different teams, most notably the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Guardians.

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