The Los Angeles Dodgers shocked the baseball world by signing two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking $700 million contract over the weekend.
Winning is said to be extremely important to Ohtani. That’s one of the reasons why he creatively structured his contract the way he did.
The 10-year deal includes a unique provision where Ohtani agreed to defer a staggering 97% of his salary until the end of the contract … This strategic move is aimed at providing the Dodgers with increased financial flexibility to make the roster as strong as possible.
Smart Tax Dodger. Shohei Ohtani is deferring $680 million of his $700m Dodger contract until 2034-2043. After the contract, he can move to FLA or Japan, collect the $680m and potentially avoid $90m in CA state taxes. pic.twitter.com/2yLgsczp6U
— Robert Frank (@robtfrank) December 12, 2023
He’s only been a Dodger for a few days, but Ohtani’s already doing his part in recruiting.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Ohtani joined teammates Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts in the team’s meeting with highly-coveted Japanese right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman all attended yesterday’s Dodgers meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, per @FabianArdaya pic.twitter.com/9z4yWbZp0S
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 13, 2023
The 25-year-old Yamamoto has become one of the most sought-after free agents in recent memory. Having enjoyed a spectacular seven-year career with NPB’s Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto is ready to take his talents to America.
Throughout his NPB tenure, Yamamoto held a remarkable 1.82 ERA in 172 career appearances … Not too bad, huh?
Notably, Yamamoto and Ohtani share a history as teammates, having played together at the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, where they played pivotal roles in securing Japan the WBC title.
.@TheRealGavinLux confirmed Shohei Ohtani is already working out in the Dodgers weight room 💪
Full interview
▶️ https://t.co/Nrinooc9RU pic.twitter.com/5R94PLbMit— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 14, 2023
While the Dodgers are aggressively pursuing Yamamoto, they face stiff competition from other major league contenders.
The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants are reportedly among the teams expressing interest in the Japanese phenom.
Highlights from Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s no-hitter that Brian Cashman attended pic.twitter.com/FztHFy7CBX
— Stanzo (@ncostanzo24) December 9, 2023
Where do you think Yamamoto will end up?
Were you surprised at the contract Ohtani received?
Will the two join forces in LA? … Or do you think Yamamoto will be won over by an east coast club such as the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox???
Shohei Ohtani has passed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's 48-hour jersey sales record on Fanatics.
The Dodgers also just overtook the Yankees as the most-followed MLB team on Instagram — a record the Yankees held since Instagram’s launch.
The Shohei Ohtani effect is real 📈 pic.twitter.com/vMEvz2y0Ol
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) December 14, 2023