In a surprising announcement, Shohei Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, revealed a record contract worth $700 million for 10 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This ends months of speculation regarding Ohtani’s future after he became a free agent on November 2. In recent days, media and fans have been tracking private jet movements and alleged sightings to try to deduce the intentions of the two-time American League MVP.
Record Contract
This historic contract is unique for a unique player. Balelo expressed his excitement about starting this partnership, and that the deal reflects a genuine commitment from both sides to long-term success.
Record Salary
Ohtani’s average salary is $70 million per year, exceeding the previous record by 62%. The previous record was shared by baseball players Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, who signed contracts with the New York Mets worth $43,333,333 annually. Ohtani’s average salary of approximately $42.3 million surpasses the total salaries of the Baltimore and Oakland teams this year.
Contract Details
The contract includes an unprecedented amount of deferred money, reducing the amount counted towards the team’s payroll for luxury tax purposes. According to a person familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity, further details have not been disclosed yet.
Ohtani Joins the Dodgers
Ohtani joins a Dodgers lineup that also includes 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts and 2020 National League MVP Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers won the National League West title this year for the tenth time in 11 seasons before being eliminated by Arizona in the postseason series in October.
Ohtani’s Career
Since joining the Los Angeles Angels in the American League, Ohtani has redefined modern baseball. No one has come close to his achievements in both hitting and pitching, as he has become one of the league’s best players in both roles when healthy. Along the way, he has also become one of the most marketable athletes in the world, a powerhouse in terms of ticket sales, viewership rates, and sponsorship revenues.
Ohtani won the American League MVP award unanimously in both 2021 and 2023, achieving this despite facing a UCL injury in late August and an abdominal muscle issue in early September. As of July 5, Ohtani has a batting average of .274 with 171 home runs, 437 RBIs, and 86 stolen bases, along with a pitching record of 39-19, an ERA of 3.01, and 608 strikeouts in 481 and 2/3 innings. According to Baseball Reference, Ohtani’s total wins above replacement stands at 34.7.
Despite his tremendous success, Ohtani has not participated in championship-winning teams or even teams that reach the postseason in the American League. The Los Angeles Angels have not surpassed 80 wins or placed prominently in the American League West standings during Ohtani’s tenure alongside Mike Trout, who has won the American League MVP award three times.
Following the new contract, Ohtani’s total earnings with the Los Angeles Angels reach $42,269,259. Ohtani received a signing bonus of $2,315,000 with his first contract, and his salaries in subsequent years were $545,000, $650,000, $259,259 (in the shortened 2020 season due to the pandemic), $3 million, $5.5 million, and $30 million.
Source: AP MLB
Source:
https://apnews.com/article/ohtani-dodgers-mlb-0462c7dcd08a5afedd92912ba69f8e8a
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