As the dust settled on the Texas Rangers’ first-ever World Series victory in November, all eyes in the MLB universe turned towards one man – Shohei Ohtani. The two-way Japanese sensation and 2-time AL MVP was out of contract and poised to make the most significant decision in recent baseball history. Not since the legendary Babe Ruth has a player possessed such talent as both a pitcher and a hitter, and consequently, any team signing Ohtani would be at a distinct advantage for years to come. But where would he go?
As a player with over 150 MLB home runs, Shohei Ohtani is no stranger to power, but he had probably never experienced something quite like this. Unlike when he steps up to the plate during the season, the pitches Ohtani was now receiving featured long-term visions and contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. No need to watch for curveballs or swing for the fences – all Ohtani had to do was sign.
In keeping with his fondness for privacy, the negotiations surrounding Ohtani’s decision were mostly kept under wraps. The LA Dodgers were early frontrunners, but teams like the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves soon appeared to enter the fray. In the late stages, the Toronto Blue Jays seemed to be a surprise destination, but just as Canada looked set to be Ohtani’s new home, the future hall-of-famer put the rumors to bed. Former LA Angel Ohtani would not be leaving California; the Los Angeles Dodgers had their man.
On 11 December 2023, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers – the largest single contract in professional sports history. A playoff team 11 years in a row, the Dodgers are perennial World Series challengers, and this, perhaps most of all, is what Ohtani desired – the opportunity to win. Barring anything unforeseen, it is without doubt that Ohtani will go down in history as one of the greatest to play the game, and as a Dodger, he can combine this soaring personal trajectory with the ability to win, as part of a team, on the biggest stages MLB has to offer.
Shohei Ohtani’s first regular season game for the Los Angeles Dodgers will take place in Seoul, South Korea on 20 March. Ohtani will play his first home game as a Dodger on 28 March.
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