Shohei Ohtani shocked the sports world:
After spending six seasons with the Angels, Shohei Ohtani shocked the sports world on Saturday by declaring he was going to sign a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani’s new record-breaking contract is worth $700 million over ten years, according to his agent Nez Balelo.
One of the most costly bidding wars in Major League Baseball history began on Saturday, and Ohtani’s new contract may ultimately make him the richest player in league history.
Days before, there were rumors swirling about where the baseball superstar would end up. This was especially the case after it was reported that multiple baseball journalists had signed Toronto Blue Jays hats at the border after Friday’s deadline.
To the delight of Dodgers Nation, Shohei Ohtani did, in the end, choose to remain in Southern California, about thirty miles north of the I-5 freeway.
Dave Roberts, the manager of the Dodgers, stated early this week that Ohtani had a meeting with the team, but he did not elaborate on the nature of the meeting.
The previous record, which was set in 2019 when the Angels signed superstar outfielder Mike Trout to a 12-year contract, was surpassed by Ohtani’s deal with the Dodgers, which is worth 6.5 million.
In addition to thanking the Angels organization for their assistance, Shohei Ohtani included a special message for Dodgers supporters in his post:
“I promise to always provide my all for the team and to keep working hard to improve my own performance. I want to advance in the baseball world in addition to playing for the Dodgers until the very end of my playing career.”
As new information about the details of the contract has surfaced, Ohtani, who turns 30 in July, has been working toward this commitment. It has been called a “significant” milestone in the deal, lowering the Dodgers’ luxury tax burden and enabling them to assemble a more competitive team around their new star
Shohei Ohtani, who became the biggest player in baseball with a special combination of abilities on the field and at the plate, has had a huge impact since leaving the Nippon Professional Baseball League in 2017.
The two-way star has a.274 batting average, 171 home runs, 437 RBIs, and 86 stolen bases in six major league seasons. He has a 38-19 career record with a 3.01 ERA, 608 strikeouts in 481 innings pitched as a starting pitcher.
Among his many MLB honors are the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year, two AL MVP awards (most recently in 2023), three All-Star selections, and two Silver Slugger awards. He was voted the World Baseball Classic MVP before the regular season even began, and he helped Japan defeat the United States, including his old teammate Mike Trout.
The Dodgers have always been interested in Ohtani; in 2012, they made an attempt to sign him right out of high school. Rather, he opted to play professional baseball in Japan, spending three seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters prior to making his major league debut.
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Now, over ten years later, he’s finally found his match, joining a star-studded lineup that already includes former MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. His arrival is anticipated to have a big effect because the team has won ten of the previous eleven NL West division championships.
But Shohei Ohtani won’t be playing for the Dodgers in 2024 due to elbow surgery he had at the end of the 2023 season. It is hoped that he will be available for the entire season as a hitter.
Ohtani made a suggestion that he would give a press conference at some point to talk about his choices and what’s coming up.
