The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed two-time American League MVP Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year contract, the club said Monday.
The $700 million contract is believed to be the largest in professional sports history.
"Dodger fans, thank you for welcoming me to your team," Ohtani said in a press release from the Dodgers. "I can say 100 percent that you, the Dodger organization and I share the same goal -- to bring World Series parades to the streets of Los Angeles."
The two-way star joins the Dodgers after spending six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
In 2023, Ohtani led the AL with 44 home runs and a 1.066 on-base plus slugging percentage while posting a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts as a pitcher.
"On behalf of the L.A. Dodgers and our fans everywhere, we welcome Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers, the home of Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax and Hideo Nomo, three of the sport's most legendary and pathbreaking players," said Mark Walter, chairman of the Dodgers and Guggenheim Baseball.
"We congratulate him on his historic contract with our storied franchise," Walter continued. "Shohei is a once-in-a-generation talent and one of the most exciting professional athletes in the world."
Ohtani is set to wear No. 17, the same number he wore with the Angels, according to a Dodgers public relations officer.
The 29-year-old from Japan's Iwate Prefecture, who had elbow surgery in September, is expected to concentrate on being a designated hitter from the start of the 2024 season before returning to pitch again in 2025.
The Associated Press reported Monday that Ohtani will receive just $20 million of his $700 million contract with the Dodgers over the next 10 years, with $680 million payable from 2034-43 in an unusual structure that gives the team greater payroll flexibility in coming seasons.
Ohtani has a series of endorsement deals that significantly add to his earnings beyond his baseball salary.
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