Shohei Ohtani signs historic deal with Dodgers

By Lily Belcher

Shohei Ohtani will wear blue next season after signing a 10-year $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The two-way star announced his long-awaited decision on Instagram Saturday afternoon, saying “I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team.”

Ohtani’s contract is the largest in baseball history, topping former teammate Mike Trout’s record-setting 2019 12-year, $426.5 million contract. Ohtani will also make the largest average annual salary at $70 million, topping the average annual salaries of $43.3 million for Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, according to an ESPN article.

Sources have said the contract does not include opt-outs and the majority of his paycheck will be deferred to help the Dodgers stay below the competitive balance tax payroll. These deferments were reported to be Ohtani’s idea, according to the article

The former Angels’ pitcher/DH signed with the Halo’s crosstown rival over two months after hitting the free agent market.

“The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever,” he wrote in the announcement post.

While he was making his decision, rumors tracked Ohtani to almost every team, but the decision to stay in Southern California was not a huge surprise.

Ohtani is looking for his first World Series ring and was expected to sign with a frequent playoff contender, unlike the Angels. He was also expected to have a large contract that could only be handled by a big market team like the Dodgers.

The two-way star will not pitch until 2025 after undergoing his second elbow surgery at the end of the 2023 season to repair a torn UCL. Both surgeries were performed by Dodgers’ team doctor Neal ElAttrache.

Despite being sidelined from the mound, the “modern-day Babe Ruth” is expected to bring his All-Star batting to the plate for the Boys in Blue, as he did throughout the final months for the Angels with the injury.

Ohtani was named MVP this year, becoming the first player in MLB history to earn multiple unanimous MVP votes.

“I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give my all to be the best version of myself,” Ohtani said in the post.