Shohei Ohtani is the best player in the Major Leagues of the United States in this century because he has unparalleled talent: he is a great hitter and also an excellent pitcher. Something like this has not been seen for over 100 years, since the legendary Babe Ruth was still playing for the Boston Red Sox.
In professional baseball, these roles do not mix, as pitchers focus solely on perfecting their throws and taking care of their arms, and therefore do not pick up a bat under any circumstances. That is why they are replaced by the designated hitter in offensive roles.
But since he became a professional playing for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in his country, Ohtani stood out as a two-way player, even three because he has also been an outfielder.
To the surprise of many experts, the Japanese player confirmed his talent in Major League Baseball after signing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, putting up impressive numbers. In his last three seasons with the Angels, he averaged 41 home runs and obtained 34 victories as a pitcher. He was named the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023.
Therefore, when he became a free agent at the end of last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not hesitate to offer him the largest contract in the history of world sports: 700 million dollars for 10 years.
How is Shohei Ohtani's contract structured with the Dodgers?
However, in order not to increase the current payroll, where the Los Angeles team also has to pay large salaries to stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Tyler Glasnow, they devised a special formula with Ohtani: they will deliver most of that contract to him when the Japanese player is practically retired.
The agreement establishes that the Dodgers will pay Shohei Ohtani 2 million dollars per season until 2033, when he is 38 years old and his player contract expires. But even if the Japanese player retires or signs with another team, the Los Angeles franchise will begin to pay him $68 million each year from then until 2043, when Ohtani will be 48 years old.
Receiving "only" $2 million per season will hardly complicate Ohtani's finances, as until 2023, when he was with the Angels, he had commercial contracts with brands such as New Balance, Fanatics, Topps, and several others from Japan for almost $40 million annually.
The Dodgers' exhibition and contesting their first World Series, like the one starting on Friday against the Yankees, will increase the commercial value of the talented Japanese player.
In addition to that, due to a shoulder operation on his right shoulder in September 2023, Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers has only demonstrated his power and strength with the bat, but in 2025 he will once again take to the mound as a pitcher to confirm that he is the “Babe Ruth” of the 21st century.