The Los Angeles Dodgers sent shockwaves through the baseball world last offseason when they signed Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract, which at the time was the largest deal in professional sports history.
While the price tag to land the two-way star was steep, many felt that Ohtani would quickly make the Dodgers their money back due to his marketability.
The presence of Ohtani attracted many new fans to Dodger Stadium this year, in addition to helping the Dodgers and MLB set multiple viewership records.
Ohtani understands his impact and said he is honored to help grow the popularity of baseball, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
“It’s very humbling,” Ohtani said. “Obviously, I appreciate it. I’m very thankful for what I have, just how everybody has been supportive of me. That being said, what I do doesn’t really change. I’m going to continue to focus on the sport of baseball and just try to get better each day, laying it all on the field and doing the best I can.
“But at the same time, hopefully, the popularity of baseball continues to increase and baseball becomes more popular in different countries.
“Hopefully, the growth of this sport will continue.”
Former big leaguer A.J. Pierzynski recently shared that Ohtani alone helped the Dodgers earn $120 million this year.
Ohtani is especially popular in his native Japan, which amounted to several companies from the country battling for advertising rights at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani’s presence — coupled with the allure of the Dodgers’ matchup with the New York Yankees — made this year’s World Series the most-watched in the history of Japan.
Shohei Ohtani ‘very unlikely’ to pitch for Dodgers in Tokyo Series
As MLB prepares for the opening Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs next year, Ohtani is not expected to pitch in the matchup.
“I expect Shohei to be ready to hit in Japan,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t think he’d have it any other way. That’s our expectation.
“It’s not cemented. If something doesn’t look right, feel right, obviously we’ve got to pivot. Maybe a lot of disappointed fans. We’re going to do what’s best for Shohei. But where we stand right now, I expect him to play.”
Although this news may be disappointing to fans, Ohtani is still expected to return to the mound at some point during the 2025 season.
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