This is Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated free agency saga with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal sets a new benchmark in the league and world of sports, surpassing the combined contract value of previous professional sports contracts. The previous best MLB signing was of Mike Trout, who signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract in 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels. In professional sports, the contract surpassed Lionel Messi’s four-year, $674 million contract with FC Barcelona in 2017. Earlier in July 2023, Messi signed a contract with Inter Miami that would pay him close to $60 million per year, including his salary, owning a stake in Inter Miami, and signing bonus. This contract, worth $70 million annually, will make Ohtani sit on top of the world’s highest-earning athletes. Shohei Ohtani bid adieu to his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, in a heartfelt social media post and bid adieu to his former club, the Los Angeles Angels. During his six seasons with the Angels, Shohei Ohtani compiled 681 hits, 171 home runs, 437 RBIs, and 428 runs scored with a .274 batting average. He has two MVP honors, a Rookie of the Year, and two Silver Slugger awards. The Dodgers signing him to a 10-year, $700 million, all guaranteed, contract with the Dodgers.
The Record-breaking Contract: Analyzing Shohei Ohtani’s Landmark Dodgers Deal in Sports History
