(Los Angeles) Shohei Ohtani began his first press conference with the Dodgers by remaining vague about the medical procedure he underwent late in the summer.
“It was a procedure. I’m not sure what it was called,” Ohtani said Thursday.
Speaking to the media for the first time since August 9, he declined to say which other clubs he spoke with ahead of last weekend’s record $700 million deal.
“I just can’t wait to join the team and get started,” he said, through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
Ohtani first donned a Dodgers home jersey with the number 17, then the team’s blue cap. He took it off before speaking to journalists.
He was impressed when club officials told him they considered the last decade a failure, given that the Dodgers won just one World Series title (in 2020).
Ohtani thanked majority owner Mark Walter, team president Stan Kasten, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts.
“Shohei is possibly the most talented player in history,” said Friedman, flanked by Ohtani and Walter. One of our goals is to get Japanese fans to convert to Dodgers blue. »
A dual threat as a hitter and pitcher, the 29-year-old Japanese left the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent after six years.
He finds himself 30 miles north on Highway 5, having agreed to the Dodgers’ 10-year, $700 million pact on Monday.
Ohtani also thanked the Angels.
“It was a great ride,” he said.
An injury that required surgery will keep him from pitching until 2025. He had surgery on September 19, but the nature of the surgery was not actually specified. Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery on October 1, 2018.
The American’s Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2023, he has a .274 batting average with 171 home runs, 437 RBIs and 86 stolen bases.
On the mound, he has a 39-19 record, a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts, in 481 2-third innings.
