Shohei Ohtani, the two-time reigning MVP, is now a $700 million man after signing a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Japanese phenom is a Cy Young-caliber pitcher and Triple Crown-esque hitter, although he will not pitch in the 2024 season due to a second Tommy John surgery. His contract is the largest in sports history, surpassing even the most lucrative Saudi Arabian soccer contracts in total value by over $100 million. However, due to the structure of his contract, the superstar will only make $2 million per year for 10 years, then be paid $68 million for the ensuing decade.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are not only paying a premium for Ohtani’s glove and his bat, but also for the intense fanfare he brings. According to Forbes, ticket prices have more than doubled for the Dodgers’ home opener, and, according to Fanatics, Ohtani broke the record for jersey sales in a 48-hour period, outselling Lionel Messi’s mark when he joined Inter Miami.
Additionally, the Dodgers committed $325 million to fellow Japanese player Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has never even thrown a pitch in the MLB. This means that, in total, the Dodgers have committed over $1 billion this offseason for these two players alone. Now, in addition to their solid fanbase in the United States, the Dodgers will dominate a valuable audience across the Pacific. According to Forbes, the World Baseball Classic final between the U.S. and Japan, which took place on a Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. in Japan, was watched by 42.4% of Japanese households. Plus, Tokyo is only 5,447 miles from Los Angeles, compared to the 5,501 from Tokyo to Anaheim, the home of Ohtani’s former team.
In addition to his otherworldly numbers, Ohtani’s god-like aura is aided by his grounded off-field persona. Ohtani does not bask in his fame, rarely talking with the media or taking on-field batting practice. His teammates describe him as cheerful, and, according to The Athletic, Ohtani ascended into the best Clash Royale player on the Angels while recovering from his first elbow surgery. Hey, that’s fine, as long as he doesn’t end up like David Price, who famously missed starts during the 2018 season due to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that was playfully linked to him playing Fortnite in the clubhouse.
During Ohtani’s free agent pursuit, his preferences were kept top-secret, despite baseball media trying to get a grasp on the future of the sport. On December 8th, only a couple of days before Ohtani signed with the Dodgers, reports came out that Ohtani was on a flight to Toronto to meet with the Blue Jays. However, when the star was notified of this, he revealed that he was, in fact, just lounging on the couch with his dog.
All anecdotes aside, this $700 million contract is not only important for the MLB but also for the Dodgers, as they will be transformed into a superteam for the ages. The Los Angeles squad boasts a lineup fit for Hollywood, including three of the most prominent stars in the game: Mookie Betts (gulp), Freddie Freeman, and Ohtani. The champagne is in the cellar.
