Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers agree to a record-breaking $700 million, ten-year contract.

After spending six seasons with the Angels, Shohei Ohtani shocked the sports world on Saturday by declaring he was going to sign a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo, the new record-breaking contract is worth $700 million spread over ten years.

Ohtani’s new contract may end up being the richest in league history, and Saturday’s announcement brings an end to one of the most costly bidding wars in Major League Baseball history.

The baseball superstar’s destination was the subject of conjecture for several days, particularly following a hectic Friday during which numerous baseball reporters virtually confirmed that he would join the Toronto Blue Jays.

To Dodger Nation’s delight, Ohtani did, in the end, choose to stay in Southern California, just 30 miles up the I-5 Freeway.

Ohtani had a meeting with the Dodgers earlier this week, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had confirmed, but he did not provide details at the time.

Mike Trout, the superstar outfielder for the Angels, signed a 12-year contract in 2019 that included a $426.5 million bonus. Ohtani’s deal with the Dodgers breaks that record.

Ohtani thanked the Angels organization in his post, but he also included a special message for Dodgers fans:

“As I always commit to being the best version of myself, I will always act in the team’s best interest. To the very end of my playing days, I want to keep pushing forward for the Dodgers and the entire baseball community.”

As more information about a very team-friendly set of contract details emerges, Ohtani, who turns 30 in July, is already making good on that promise.

The Dodgers can reduce the cost of the luxury tax payroll and assemble a stronger, more competitive team around their new star by utilizing the “significant” deferrals in the deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Ohtani has taken the baseball world by storm since leaving the Nippon Professional Baseball League in 2017. He has combined an unmatched skill set on the mound and at the plate to become the biggest player in the sport.

A two-way star in six big league seasons is a lifetime player.274 hitter with 437 runs batted in, 171 home runs, and 86 stolen bases. In addition, he has a 38-19 career record as a starting pitcher with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 and a third innings pitched.

Numerous MLB honors have already been bestowed upon him, such as the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year title, two unanimous AL MVP awards (the most recent of which came in 2023), three All-Star selections, and two Silver Sluggers.

Before the regular season began, he was named the MVP of the World Baseball Classic. He secured Japan’s victory by striking out Mike Trout, his former teammate.

But Ohtani will not take the mound for the Dodgers in 2024 because he had elbow surgery at the close of the 2023 campaign. As a hitter, he should be completely available.

Ohtani hinted that he would hold a press conference at a later time to address his choice and future plans.