Shohei Ohtani just announced that he will be a Los Angeles Dodger… and reportedly landed a whopping $700 million, 10-year contract – the richest deal in the history of major league baseball and North American sports.
The Japanese two-way superstar personally shared the news on his Instagram page a few minutes ago… apologizing for keeping the baseball world in suspense as he made his decision to leave the Los Angeles Angels.
“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved in the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process.” Ohtani said in his message. “Especially for the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, the support and encouragement from your guys meant everything to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will always be in my heart forever.”
Ohtani also pledged to do his best on the field for Dodgers fans…adding, “Until the last day of my playing career, I want to keep moving forward not only for the Dodgers but for the world baseball.”
The Dodgers become the most entertaining player in sports, as Shohei is a dominant force on both sides of the ball.
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He played the first six seasons of his MLB career with the crosstown rival Angels… accumulating 681 hits, 171 home runs and 437 RBIs… along with a 38-19 record with a 3 ERA .01 and 608 strikeouts.
Other organizations reportedly had a chance at the two-time MVP — including the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays — but the free agency process was top secret, at Ohtani’s request.
The 29-year-old said he will talk more about the decision at a later press conference… as there are certain thoughts he cannot express at the moment.
