Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, far and away the largest in baseball history.
Ohtani, 29, who spent the first six years of his Major League Baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels, announced his decision in an Instagram post.
POPULAR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS CONFIDENT THEY CAN CARRY UNPOPULAR BIDEN TO VICTORY IN 2024
The two-time American League MVP shattered former teammate Mike Trout’s record 12-year, $426.5 million contract, which he signed in 2019. His average annual salary of $70 million also handily clears the $43.3 million mark shared by three-time Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Ohtani thanked Angels fans for their support in his post, saying the six years he spent with the team “will remain etched in my heart forever.”
Addressing Dodgers fans, Ohtani wrote, “I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself. 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.”
Regarded as perhaps the best two-way player in the history of baseball, Ohtani will not pitch during the 2024 season due to a UCL tear he suffered in August. He underwent surgery in September to repair it, and the doctor said he expects the Japanese superstar to be ready to hit when the season begins in March.
Ohtani is coming off a career year at the plate, during which he belted an AL-best 44 home runs, drove in 95 runs, and led the major leagues with a 1.066 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He has a career 3.01 earned runs average and strikes out 11.4 batters per nine innings.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Prior to his MLB career, Ohtani spent five years playing professionally in Japan, compiling a 2.52 ERA and .859 OPS. Earlier this year, he helped lead his country to its third World Baseball Classic title, earning a save in a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final.
Ohtani will join former league MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the Dodgers lineup. Los Angeles will begin its quest for a second World Series title in five seasons on March 20, 2024, when it takes on the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
