Shohei Ohtani, the two-way baseball star who's the reigning American League MVP, is moving next door. The starting pitcher-designated hitter, a free agent who has played for the Los Angeles Angels for the past six seasons, announced in an Instagram post on Saturday that he's joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. "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," Ohtani wrote. Nez Balelo, his agent, said his client plans to sign a 10-year, $700 million contract, ESPN reports. "This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player," Balelo said in a statement, per the AP.
The contract is the highest in MLB history, and it's not close. Mike Trout, Ohtani's teammate with the Angels, signed a $426.5 million, 12-year deal that kicked in in 2019. Ohtani, 29, collected a total of $42 million while with the Angels after playing in Japan. He's the only MLB player to be a unanimous MVP selection more than once—in 2021 and 2023. In 2022, Ohtani finished second in the voting. He won't be able to pitch next season after undergoing surgery for a ligament tear, per the Washington Post, but he'll be able to hit. As a hitter, Ohtani has a .274 average with 171 homers, and 437 RBIs. He also has 86 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he's 39-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings. Baseball Reference lists Ohtani at 34.7 Wins Above Replacement. (More Shohei Ohtani stories.)
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