Shohei Ohtani will officially don Dodger blue for the first time Thursday, five days after announcing a 10-year contract for a historic mountain of money.
The 29-year-old superstar slugger and pitcher will join with President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman for an introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium, completing his journey up the 5 Freeway following six remarkable, but playoff-less, seasons with the Angels.
The news conference is set for 3 p.m.
The two-time American League Most Valuable Player revealed his much-anticipated free agent move on social media Saturday, and the Dodgers made it official two days later.
Ohtani’s 10-year deal is for $700 million — the richest contract in U.S. sports history.
But, as has been widely reported, Ohtani will have $68 million of his $70 million annual salary deferred each season until after the end of the contract — giving the Dodgers financial flexibility to acquire other stars as they chase a World Series title.
The two-way superstar is not expected to pitch again until at least 2025 after suffering a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament on Aug. 23. But he is expected to be ready to be the Dodgers’ designated hitter when they open the 2024 season March 20 against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
“Dodger fans, thank you for welcoming me to your team,” Ohtani said in a statement.
“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 Dodgers have not had a World Series parade since 1988. There was no parade following their World Series victory in 2020 because of coronavirus restrictions, after a shortened regular-season schedule.
“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. We congratulate him on his historic contract with our storied franchise,” Mark Walter, chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Guggenheim Baseball, said in a statement.
“Shohei is a once-in-a-generation talent and one of the most exciting professional athletes in the world. Our players, staff, management and ownership look forward to working together with Shohei to help the Dodgers continue to add, improve and strive for excellence on the field.
“Together with Shohei, we will work to help grow the number and breadth of people around the world who enjoy the excitement of Major League Baseball.”
Ohtani was the unanimous selection as the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2023, the only player to earn that honor unanimously on multiple occasions.
He hit 46 home runs and posted a 9-2 record as a pitcher in 2021.
Ohtani hit a major league-leading 44 home runs in 2023, despite missing the Angels’ final 25 games after injuring his right oblique while taking batting practice at Angel Stadium on Sept. 4. He also went 10-5 as a pitcher.
His $70 million average yearly salary far outdistances the previous record of $43.3 million for pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
The NFL’s richest contract is believed to belong to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at $450 million over 10 years. NBA stars Jaylen Brown, Nikola Jokic and Bradley Beal have contracts worth more than $250 million.