LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani opened his first news conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers by dodging questions about whether he had undergone a second Tommy John surgery.
“At the time of the announcement, we didn’t know which way to go. That’s why I never said what kind of action would be taken,” Ohtani said Thursday in a news conference to discuss his record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract.
It was Ohtani’s first time speaking to the media since Aug. 9, two weeks before he suffered a pitching injury that required surgery with Dodgers team physician Dr. Neil El-Atrash on Sept. 19, and will keep him off the mound until 2025. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery with El-Atrash on October 1, 2018.
“Obviously I’m not a medical expert, but it was a procedure. I’m not sure what it was called, I know it was very different from the first time, so I don’t know,” Ohtani said. What do you call it? Maybe you could talk to my doctor about that.”
Ohtani refused to disclose the other teams he negotiated with before the agreement last weekend.
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“Free agency is still going on and I don’t really want to mess with their plans and I don’t want to say anything wrong, so I really want to talk about what conversations I’ve had with other organizations,” he said. By translator Ibi Mizuhara.
However, Ohtani did reveal the name of his dog, which appeared on his lap when he appeared on MLB Network to announce his second MVP award on November 16. The dog has the American name “Decoy” and a Japanese name. “Dekopin” or “Decopin” depending on the transliteration.
Wearing a navy business suit with a white shirt and blue tie, he took off the jacket and put on a Dodgers home jersey bearing the number 17 and then a blue cap with an interlocking L&A. He took off the hat before speaking.
“One thing that really sticks out in my mind is when I met with the Dodgers, the ownership group, they said when they looked at the last 10 years, even though they were making the playoffs every year,” he said. They won one World Series ring, and they were considered a failure. When I heard that, I realized that all they care about is winning, and that’s exactly how I feel.
Ohtani never reached the playoffs in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
An electronic sign saying “Welcome to the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani” in English and Japanese appeared above the stage. Ohtani thanked controlling owner Mark Walter, team president Stan Kasten, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomez and manager Dave Roberts.
“Shohei is without a doubt the most talented player to ever play this game,” Friedman said, flanked by Ohtani and Walter. “One of our goals is to turn baseball fans in Japan Dodgers blue.”
A unique two-way star as a hitter and pitcher, the 29-year-old Japanese sensation left the Angels as a free agent after six years. He is moving 30 miles up Interstate 5 after the Dodgers beat out the competition in a deal announced Monday. He said he made his decision on Friday night, the eve of his announcement.
Ohtani also thanked the Angels during a press conference that started shortly after 3 p.m. (8 a.m. Friday in Japan).
“It’s been a fun trip, a great trip,” he said. “I will never forget all the memories I have.”
The two-time AL MVP has a .274 batting average with 171 homers, 437 RBIs and 86 stolen bases as well as a 39-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings. Ohtani has a 34.7 wins above replacement (WAR), per Baseball Reference.
Ohtani’s unusual contract calls for an annual salary of $70 million, and of the annual salary, $68 million is deferred interest-free, paid in equal installments every July 1 from 2034 to 2043. The annual charge on the Dodgers’ luxury taxes has been reduced to About $46 million, which reduced the competitive balance tax.
“I thought if I could put off as much money as I could, if it would help CBT and it would help the Dodgers sign better players and field a better team, I felt like it would be worth it,” he said.
Ohtani could opt out of the deal if Walter or Friedman are no longer with the team, a person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms have not been announced.
“Everyone has to be on the same page in order to have a winning organization,” Ohtani said. “I feel like those two are on top of it and they’re in control of everything. And I feel like I’m making a contract with these two guys. And I feel like if one of them leaves…things could get out of hand.” A little out of control, so I just wanted a safety net.
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The highly anticipated press conference with Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers took a surprising turn as Ohtani dodged questions regarding his Tommy John surgery. Despite the media’s eagerness to hear about the status of his recovery, Ohtani skillfully navigated the questions and shifted the focus towards his excitement to join the Dodgers and contribute to the team’s success. With his elusive responses, Ohtani left fans and reporters speculating about the true extent of his injury and the impact it could have on his upcoming season with the Dodgers.