Toronto – and Canada – was impatient. But it was ultimately with the Los Angeles Dodgers that Shohei Ohtani would continue his career.
The Japanese baseball superstar has accepted a 10-year offer that will worth him $700 million, according to tipster Jeff Passan.
One of the most adored athletes on Earth thus signs the most lucrative agreement in the history of… world sport. The old major league baseball record belonged to Mike Trout, with a 12-year, $426.5 million pact signed in 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels.
Thus, Ohtani will ultimately not have to move, he who has played with Trout and the Angels in Anaheim since his arrival in the United States in 2018. In six seasons in MLB, he has still not participated in the playoffs.
“I apologize to all the fans and people involved in the baseball world for taking so long to come to a decision,” the Japanese said in an Instagram post.
That’s because on Friday, Toronto Blue Jays fans were buzzing all day: a rumor that Ohtani was on a private jet leaving from Anaheim for the Queen City spread like wildfire among the fans. social networks. The story ended up being denied by a few journalists at the end of the day. The Blue Jays seemed to be in the race to acquire the free agent until the very end, that said.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Angels organization and their fans, who have supported me over the past six years. […] They will remain engraved in my heart forever. »
Why was Shohei Ohtani in such demand? This is because the Japanese is recognized for his elite pitching and hitting skills, a unique duality in major baseball. Ohtani hit 44 home runs and drove in 95 runs in 135 games last season. On the mound, he was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts.
He had elbow surgery in August that will keep him from pitching until 2025, but he should be ready to play as a designated hitter in the spring.
The 29-year-old right-hander was unanimously named the American League Most Valuable Player.