The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially signed Shohei Ohtani, a renowned baseball player often compared to the legendary Babe Ruth. The team announced that Ohtani will join them on a 10-year contract worth a historic $700 million, making it the biggest payday in baseball history.
While specific salary details were not disclosed in the press release, it has been revealed that Ohtani will defer a significant portion of his salary. He will earn just $2 million per year while playing for the Dodgers, with more information about the timing of the remaining compensation yet to be disclosed.
Ohtani, who has spent the past six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, is a highly accomplished two-way player. He has hit .274/.366/.556 (.922 OPS) with 171 home runs and 437 RBI during his MLB career. On the pitching side, he boasts a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings across 86 career starts.
Expressing his gratitude toward Dodger fans, Ohtani said, I can say 100 percent that you, the Dodger organization and I share the same goal – to bring World Series parades to the streets of Los Angeles.
Mark Walter, Chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Guggenheim Baseball, lauded Ohtani’s signing, stating, Shohei is a once-in-a-generation talent and one of the most exciting professional athletes in the world. Our players, staff, management, and ownership look forward to working together with Shohei to help the Dodgers continue to add, improve, and strive for excellence on the field.
The 29-year-old Ohtani adds the 2023 AL Most Valuable Player award to his list of accolades. He won the prestigious award unanimously for the second time in his career, becoming the first player in MLB history to achieve this feat more than once. Ohtani’s stellar 2023 season saw him hit 44 home runs, drive in 95 runs, and amass a batting average of .304/.412/.654 (1.066 OPS). On the mound, he recorded a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 23 starts.
Prior to his MLB debut in 2018, Ohtani played in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan, where he led the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to a championship in 2016. In his five-year tenure, he demonstrated his exceptional skills as a batter and pitcher, accumulating a batting average of .286/.358/.501/.859 with 48 home runs and 166 RBI, as well as a 42-15 record, a 2.52 ERA, and 624 strikeouts on the mound.
Ohtani will become the 11th Japanese-born player to don a Dodger uniform, following in the footsteps of esteemed individuals such as Hideo Nomo and Yu Darvish. The Dodgers’ relationship with Japan extends back to their time in Brooklyn, with Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, and Duke Snider embarking on goodwill tours to the country. Nomo, who broke through to the majors in 1995 and earned the National League Rookie of the Year award, holds a special place in this legacy.
Shohei Ohtani has had an illustrious career, garnering numerous accolades and titles, including Pacific League MVP, American League MVP, and World Baseball Classic MVP. His signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers presents an exciting opportunity for both him and the team to continue their pursuit of excellence in Major League Baseball.
