NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani set a financial record to go with his unique on-field performance, earning a record $700 million to make a move 30 miles up Interstate 5 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His agent, Nez Balillo, issued a press release Saturday afternoon announcing the 10-year contract, ending months of speculation that began even before Ohtani became a free agent on Nov. 2. And in recent days, the media and fans have followed the movements of private jets and alleged sightings as investigators try to figure out the two-time AL MVP’s intentions with the Angels.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” Balillo said. “He is excited to begin this partnership, and his contract has been designed to reflect a real commitment from both sides to long-term success.”
Ohtani’s total was 64% higher than baseball’s previous record, a 12-year, $426.5 million deal for Angels outfielder Mike Trout that began in 2019.
His average salary of $70 million is 62% above the previous record of $43,333,333, which pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander shared with the deals they made with the New York Mets. Ohtani’s average salary nearly doubles the nearly $42.3 million he earned with the Angels. It also exceeds the entire salaries of Baltimore and Oakland this year.
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His agreement includes unprecedented deferred money that would reduce the amount counted in the Dodgers’ luxury tax payroll, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details had not been announced.
“He has structured his contract to reflect a real commitment from both sides to long-term success,” Balillo said. “Shuhei and I want to thank all the organizations that have reached out to us for their interest and respect, and especially the wonderful people we have received. To learn better as this process develops.
This is perhaps the biggest contract in the history of the sport, surpassing the heights believed to have been achieved by football stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
There was no immediate comment from the Dodgers. Ohtani has not spoken to reporters since August 9.
“I apologize for taking so long to reach a decision,” Ohtani said in an English-language statement on Instagram. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those involved in the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to all those involved with each team that has been part of this negotiation process.”
He continued: “And to all Dodgers fans, I pledge to always do what is best for the team and to always continue to give everything in my power to be the best version of myself.” “Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue striving forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.”
Ohtani joins a lineup that also includes 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts and 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers won the NL West this year for the 10th time in 11 seasons before being swept by Arizona in the Division Series in October.
Ohtani’s decision came six years and one day after he first agreed to his deal with the Angels.
Ohtani has redefined modern baseball since he selected the Angels as his first major league team. No one has come close to matching his accomplishments at the plate and on the mound, becoming one of the elite players in both roles when healthy. Along the way, he became one of the most marketable athletes in the world, and a powerhouse when it comes to ticket sales, television ratings and sponsorship revenue.
He was the consensus AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 — finishing second in 2022 — and won this year despite injuring his elbow in late August and his oblique muscle in early September.
Before his 30th birthday on July 5, he had a .274 average with 171 homers, 437 RBI 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.
The Halos are also perennial contenders, both in the AL standings and in the Los Angeles market, but they won Ohtani’s services in late 2017 in part by promising him the freedom to train and play however he wanted. Ohtani immediately wowed the entire sport in 2018, batting .285 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs as a designated hitter and going 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
Ohtani won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2018 despite making just one appearance after early June due to an elbow ligament injury that required post-season Tommy John surgery. Ohtani made just two appearances on the mound in the next two years while continuing to play as the Angels’ DH.
When his arm finally got healthy in 2021, Ohtani put together a season for the ages.
He won the AL MVP award with 46 homers and 100 RBIs at the plate while going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA on the mound. He improved as a pitcher in 2022, going 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while still driving in 95 runs at the plate, but finished behind Aaron Judge in MVP voting after the Yankees star hit a record 62 homers.
After winning the Most Valuable Player award at the World Baseball Classic last March while leading Japan to victory — where he blanked Trout to end the tournament — Ohtani maintained his two-hit wonder this year, hitting 44 homers with a career-high 1.066 OPS while He ranks tenth. -5 with a 3.14 ERA before tearing ligaments in his elbow again on August 23. He did not strike after September 3 due to a strained right oblique.
Besides his elbow injuries, Ohtani’s superlative success came with another big disincentive: he had never made the playoffs or even played on a winning team in the majors. Owner Arte Moreno’s Angels team never won more than 80 games or finished higher than third in the AL West during his tenure alongside Trout, a three-time AL MVP, and a perpetually disappointing cast of supporting players.
Ohtani earned $42,269,259 in his six seasons with the Angels. After earning a signing bonus of $2,315,000 with his initial deal, he earned salaries of $545,000, $650,000, $259,259 (in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season), $3 million, $5.5 million, and $30 million. .
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The sports world was abuzz with excitement as news broke that Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese two-way star, has agreed to sign a groundbreaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This record-breaking deal not only solidifies Ohtani as one of the highest-paid players in MLB history, but also signals a major shift in the landscape of the league. With his exceptional pitching and hitting abilities, Ohtani has captured the attention of fans worldwide, and his decision to join the Dodgers is set to shake up the baseball world for years to come.