Clase, baseball’s dominant closer from 2022 through 2024, is making a base salary of $4.5 million this year. While Ortiz is on a one-year deal, Clase is signed through 2026 with $10 million club options for 2027 and 2028. Ortiz earned $782,600 in salary last season.
Lifestyles more expensive than their earnings and looking for some easy way to pay for it. Man approaches and says “hey, you wanna make a deal”.
The two pitchers are underpaid compared to similar performers, strange as that seems. Jealousy, ego, resentment for being ‘dissed’, maybe just petty greed or helping out some bros. Umps would seem to have similar temptations.