Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s transcendent two-way star, has signed one of the most lucrative contracts in professional sports history with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to ESPN, MLB.com, and other media sites citing Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, the two-time American League MVP declared on Instagram that he has “decided to choose the Dodgers” as his next team. The two teams have inked an unprecedented 10-year, $700 million pact.
The agreement calls for the Japanese sensation, who also hits as a designated hitter, to transfer from the American League’s Los Angeles Angels to the National League West-winning Dodgers. The Angels are located across town.
The Dodgers choose not to address the matter in their statement. In order to verify the details of the agreement, CNN has contacted Ohtani’s agents.
Speculation around the star’s impending free agency has reached critical mass, with some claiming that his deal is the most costly in the history of North American sports. In an Instagram post on Saturday, he verified the agreement.
I regret for the delay in making a choice. I want to express my sincere apologies to all the fans and everyone engaged in the baseball community through my Instagram post. The Dodgers will be my next favorite baseball club.
Prior to anything else, I want to convey my deepest appreciation to the Angels organization, the fans who have stuck by me for the last six years, and everyone on both teams who had a hand in these negotiations. Your encouragement and support, particularly, Angels fans, meant the world to me during all the highs and lows. The memories of my six years with the Angels will last a lifetime.
And to all the Dodgers supporters out there, I promise to put the team’s needs first and to keep pushing myself to improve. I intend to keep pushing myself and the sport of baseball ahead until the very end of my playing days with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
I would prefer to elaborate on this topic at a subsequent news conference because there are certain things that just cannot be put into words.
A heartfelt “thank you”
Since his 2017 MLB debut, Ohtani has been a member of the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old Japanese superstar, who has been mum about his career plans, is about to enter free agency and has a number of teams vying for his services.
He will sit out 2024 and only play the role of designated hitter after having elbow surgery. He won’t throw again until 2025.
Assuming all parties involved are satisfied, the deal would rank among the largest athlete contracts ever.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent, stated, “This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player.”.
“He is thrilled to start this collaboration, and he made sure that the contract reflects a genuine dedication to success in the long run,” Balelo went on to sаy.
Spotrac reports that quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs holds the NFL’s highest-paying contract at $450 million over 10 years.
The three NBA players with five-year contracts worth over $250 million are Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Bradley Beal (Phoenix Suns), and Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), according to Spotrac.
Earlier this year, part-owner Jorge Mas informed the Spanish daily El País that Lionel Messi’s contract with MLS team Inter Miami is valued at $50 to $60 million annually. Messi, an Argentine great, had previously signed to a $672 million deal from 2017 to 2021 with Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a longtime adversary of Lionel Messi’s, is supposedly signed to a two-and-a-half year deal with the Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, with a value of over 200 million euros ($220.16 million), according to media reports.