Topline:
Shohei Ohtani ended weeks of guessing over his future in Major League Baseball on Saturday with an announcement that he's signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers.
Why it matters: After five years amassing eye-popping stats as both a pitcher and hitter with the L.A. Angels, Ohtani now greatly increases his — and the Dodgers' — chances of a world championship.
Career highlights
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Ohtani played 6 seasons with the Angels, his stats include:
- Hitting: 274 Batting average, 681 hits, 171 HR, 437 RBI
- Pitching: 38 wins, 19 losses, 3.01 ERA, 608 strikeouts
He was named the 2021 American League MVP award, the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award, and the 2021 AL Silver Slugger award.
He is a three-time MLB All-Star.
The backstory: Still, there are questions about Ohtani's long-term health. After an injury kept him off the mound for much of the 2023 season, he won't pitch in 2024. But he'll still be an enormous asset to the Dodgers' offense.
Huge news in the world of sports: Superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani has announced where he's landing next.
And, drumroll: It's with the L.A. Dodgers.
Analysis: 6 Years Later, The Dodgers Get Their Man In Shohei Ohtani. Can He Bring A Title To Chavez Ravine?
The elite pitcher and hitter signed an eye-popping 10-year, $700 million dollar deal that's being touted as the largest contract in North American sports history. The previous largest contract was signed in 2019 by Ohtani's now-former teammate Mike Trout on the Los Angeles Angels, which was for $426.5 million over 12 years.
Ohtani, 29, confirmed the deal on Instagram. He apologized for taking as long as he did to come to a decision and emphasized his commitment to the sport: "Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward, not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world."
Ohtani comes to Dodgers Nation after six seasons with the Angels, where he was known as a unicorn for notching phenomenal stats in two roles. As a hitter, he had a .274 batting average, 681 hits, 171 home runs, 437 RBIs, and 428 runs scored.
His pitching stats were equally as impressive. Ohtani went 38-19 with the Angels, recorded a 3.01 ERA, and amassed 608 strikeouts.
Ohtani's 2023 season with the Angels ended abruptly when he suffered an oblique injury. While he will be available as a hitter for the Dodgers in 2024, he is not expected to pitch again before the 2025 season.
Speculation over Ohtani's free agency reached a fever pitch this week. On Friday, rumors that Ohtani was moving to the Toronto Blue Jays had baseball fans tracking a plane to the Canadian metropolis. (Ohtani wasn't on it.)
Dodgers fans are in ecstasy of course, welcoming Ohtani to Chavez Ravine while releasing a collective "Let's goooooo!"
