Report: Phenom Shohei Ohtani to Sign With Dodgers for Largest Ever Guaranteed Salary in Sports - $700M

Back during the summer, I wrote about the phenomenal, offensive force of nature on the Cincinnati Reds' roster named Elly De La Cruz.

But there is breaking news Saturday about another phenom in Major League Baseball. Multiple outlets are reporting that a blockbuster deal has been brokered with pitcher-designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, which will take him from American League basement dwellers, the Los Angeles Angels, to 2023's National League Western Division champs, the L.A. Dodgers. And not only is it a lengthy contract--it's for a staggering salary, according to a report by ESPN reporter Jeff Passan:

Shohei Ohtani's deal with the Dodgers is for 10 years and $700 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2023

Passan shared more details on the deal, per sources, including that much of the cash will be deferred (that is, backloaded to later years in his tenure while wearing Dodger blue) -- at Ohtani's request:

Shohei Ohtani's contract has significant deferrals that include most of his salary -- an idea, a source said, that was Ohtani's. In deferring the money, it reduces the cost of the competitive-balance-tax hit and will allow the Dodgers to build a better team around him.

If the facts here are confirmed, the $700 million payday for Ohtani will make the guaranteed contract the richest ever signed in any U.S. professional sport:

The $700 million Shohei Ohtani will receive from the Los Angeles Dodgers is the largest guarantee in sports history.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2023

The newest Dodger shared the news with fans on his Instagram account:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani)

He wrote:

To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team.

First of all, 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. 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.

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.

There are some things that cannot be conveyed in writing, so I would like to talk more about this again at a later press conference.

Thank you very much

Where free agent Ohtani would land during the off-season has been one of the primary topics of discussion during the 2023's "hot stove league." Why?

The deal ends years of feverish speculation about Ohtani’s future. Ohtani, a 29-year-old two-way sensation, has captivated the industry since he left Japan for Major League Baseball heading into the 2018 season. He has done things that appeared impossible in the modern era, feats that harkened back to Babe Ruth. As he traveled the country with the Los Angeles Angels this past summer, fans serenaded him with recruiting pitches. When he entered free agency, a dozen teams lined up, curious to see if they could meet his eye.

Over his six years with the Angels starting in 2018, after playing in Japan, the player has already racked up an impressive list of achievements on both sides of the ball, per Baseball Reference.com.