The Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes are over.
The Dodgers, as they had long dreamed, held the winning ticket.
In a blockbuster announcement Saturday, Ohtani agreed to a 10-year, $700-millioncontract with the Dodgers, according to a statement posted on Instagram, bringing the two-time most valuable player across town after his historic six-year stint with the Angels.
“To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision,” Ohtani said in his Instagram post. “I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team.”
With the Dodgers, the 29-year-old Ohtani will now become an instant face of the franchise, as well as the highest-paid player in MLB history, with his record-breaking contract shattering Mike Trout’s previous high of $426.5 million.
The deal is also believed to be the largest in sports history, surpassing even the reported totals of such soccer superstars as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
The majority of Ohtani’s contract will be paid out in “unprecedented” deferrals, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who was unauthorized to speak publicly and granted anonymity.
The deferrals were Ohtani’s idea, per the source. Such a structure — where most of the money will be paid out after the 10 seasons — should provide Ohtani with some tax benefits, but will more importantly ease potential year-to-year payroll and luxury tax complications of having a single player make $70 million annually. The primary goal of the deferrals, according to the source, was about allowing the team to be successful on the field.
The agreement includes no opt outs, said another person with knowledge of the deal unauthorized to speak publicly.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,“ said Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, Ohtani’s agent. “Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization. He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”
Ohtani broke the news on his Instagram account a day after conflicting reports suggested he was on the verge of signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. The silence his camp maintained made tracking his intentions difficult.
“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process,” Ohtani said in his post. “Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.”
The deal is also believed to be the largest in sports history, surpassing even the reported totals of such soccer superstars as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
The majority of Ohtani’s contract will be paid out in “unprecedented” deferrals, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who was unauthorized to speak publicly and granted anonymity.
The deferrals were Ohtani’s idea, per the source. Such a structure — where most of the money will be paid out after the 10 seasons — should provide Ohtani with some tax benefits, but will more importantly ease potential year-to-year payroll and luxury tax complications of having a single player make $70 million annually. The primary goal of the deferrals, according to the source, was about allowing the team to be successful on the field.
The agreement includes no opt outs, said another person with knowledge of the deal unauthorized to speak publicly.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,“ said Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, Ohtani’s agent. “Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization. He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”
Ohtani broke the news on his Instagram account a day after conflicting reports suggested he was on the verge of signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. The silence his camp maintained made tracking his intentions difficult.
“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process,” Ohtani said in his post. “Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.”
The deal is also believed to be the largest in sports history, surpassing even the reported totals of such soccer superstars as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
The majority of Ohtani’s contract will be paid out in “unprecedented” deferrals, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who was unauthorized to speak publicly and granted anonymity.
The deferrals were Ohtani’s idea, per the source. Such a structure — where most of the money will be paid out after the 10 seasons — should provide Ohtani with some tax benefits, but will more importantly ease potential year-to-year payroll and luxury tax complications of having a single player make $70 million annually. The primary goal of the deferrals, according to the source, was about allowing the team to be successful on the field.
The agreement includes no opt outs, said another person with knowledge of the deal unauthorized to speak publicly.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,“ said Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, Ohtani’s agent. “Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization. He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”
Ohtani broke the news on his Instagram account a day after conflicting reports suggested he was on the verge of signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. The silence his camp maintained made tracking his intentions difficult.
“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process,” Ohtani said in his post. “Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.”
A week before the winter meetings, industry buzz suggested the Chicago Cubs were making a big push, perhaps in an effort to pair their new blockbuster managerial hire of Craig Counsell with an even bigger splash by landing the game’s biggest star.
Then, over the course of the winter meetings, an apparent list of finalists came into focus, including the incumbent Angels, Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Blue Jays most of all — crescendoing Friday night when inaccurate reports (and private-jet tracking internet sleuths) suggested Ohtani was en route to Toronto to sign with them.
Despite fears that leaks of information during his free agency could be held against teams, Ohtani’s meetings with the Dodgers, Giants and Blue Jays — each held within a four-day span leading up to the winter meetings — all became public knowledge in the days before his signing.
Roberts even disclosed the Dodgers’ meeting with Ohtani during his press availability at the winter meetings, making him the only team official in the league to publicly confirm a meeting with the two-way star.
