Superstar Shohei Ohtani is moving to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the biggest contract in baseball history. The Japanese confirmed this on social media on Saturday. According to media reports, the deal will run for ten years and be worth an incredible $700 million.
“I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team,” Ohtani, whose contract with the Los Angeles Angels is expiring, wrote on Instagram after weeks of speculation about his future. The Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants are also said to have been involved in the bidding for the 29-year-old.
Ohtani has taken Major League Baseball by storm since joining the Angels in 2018. His trademark: The Asian has exceptional skills in both pitching and hitting, which have long earned him comparisons with the American baseball icon Babe Ruth.
Since he can hold two positions at once – with the Angels he was used as starting pitcher and designated hitter – a record contract was already expected in advance.
But not of this size: The previous record contract in baseball belonged to Mike Trout, who signed with the Angels in 2019 for twelve years and $426.5 million. So Ohtani’s contract is worth over $270 million more and is fully guaranteed. There is nothing comparable in other US sports either.
US sports: The record contracts of the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL
LeaguePlayerTeamContractAnnual SalaryYearNFLPatrick MahomesKansas City Chiefs10 years / 450 million45 million2021NBAJaylen BrownBoston Celtics5 years / 304 million60.8 million2023MLBShohei OhtaniLos Angeles Dodgers10 years / 700 million70 million2023NHLAlex OvechkinWashington Capitals13 years / 124 million 9.5 million 2008
At $70 million per year, Ohtani now makes more per year than the full rosters of some MLB teams. At the start of the 2023 season, the Baltimore Orioles had paid just under $61 million in salaries.
According to ESPN, the contract does not contain an exit clause. At his own request, he will only receive the majority of his salary after his contract expires in order to give the Dodgers leeway in terms of squad planning.
“To all fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to make a decision,” wrote Ohtani: “I promise to always do the best for the team and to continue to give my all, to be the best version of myself.” Until the last day of his playing career, he wanted to move forward “not only for the Dodgers, but also for the baseball world.”
Ohtani suffered a torn ligament in his right arm in the summer and had to cancel the season due to an injury – so he will not be used as a pitcher in 2024. Nevertheless, he was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player (“MVP”) – making him the first player to win this award unanimously twice. The Angels missed the playoffs and therefore played no role in the fight for the World Series.
2023-12-09 21:45:02
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