Shohei Ohtani’s Contract Breakdown With The Dodgers Includes A Massive Payment Per Game

Lea Veloso
·3 min read
168
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The baseball GOAT. Shohei Ohtani’s contract breakdown is quite impressive. Known as one of the greatest baseball players of our generation, Ohtani is currently the pitcher, outfielder, and designated hitter for the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels but his Dodgers move is known as the biggest contract in North American history.

Born in  Ōshū, Iwate, Japan, Ohtani rose to fame after becoming the pitcher and outfielder for Japan’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and earned the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year Award. He suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament that led him to have Tommy John surgery the same year. Nevertheless, he still persisted and was awarded the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 2021 and 2023.

More from StyleCaster

Ohtani announced that he would be a free agent once the 2023 MLB season is over. His season abruptly came to an end when he suffered from an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear in his right elbow. Ohtani was pulled from his start against the Cincinnati Red on August 23, 2023, after arm fatigue.

On December 9, 2023, Ohtani announced that he would be moving to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the greatest deal in North American sports history.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with 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 wrote on Instagram. “Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.”

He continued, “And to all Dodgers fans, I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself. Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.”

Here’s the breakdown of Shohei Ohtani’s contract.

Shohei Ohtani Contract Breakdown

Shohei Ohtani’s contract includes $700 million from the Dodgers for 10 years. According to MLB insider Héctor Gómez, that’s about $432,099 per game or about $3,000 per minute.

His contract included“unprecedented deferrals,” including the majority of his salary, which was Ohtani’s idea. Ohtani wanted to mitigate the CBT and cash-flow burdens to let the Dodgers have the flexibility to be competitive and hire more talent. This means he would still be paid well after his contract expires.

Shohei Ohtani’s free agency was heavily watched by baseball fans alike. MLB Network reported that bidding is “believed well past $500M” for Ohtani’s services, which would be one of the largest guarantees in North American sports history. Ohtani broke Yankees player Aaron Judge’s record $360 million free-agent contract and Ohtani’s current teammate Mike Trout for $426 million as a non-free agency.

Shohei Ohtani’s Net Worth & Angels Contract

What is Shohei Ohtani’s net worth? According to Celebrity Net Worth, Shohei Ohtani’s net worth is estimated to be around $20 million.

Shohei Ohtani signed the league-minimum salary of $545,000 per year, plus a one-time signing bonus of $2.3 million.

In 2021, Ohtani signed a two-year $8.5 million contract with the Angels, avoiding arbitration. “Obviously it’s a unique case,” Los Angeles general manager Perry Minasian said at the time. “There aren’t any examples of this. But as we talked, we felt this number lined up over a two-year deal. There’s risk and reward for both sides, but it made sense for them and it made sense for us. We’re ecstatic we could get a deal done.”

Best of StyleCaster