Dodger BlueDodger BlueDodger Blue
  • Dodgers News
    • MLB News
  • Rumors
  • Schedules
    • 2025 Spring Training
    • 2025 Dodger Stadium giveaways
    • 2025 regular season
  • Team
    • Active roster
    • Salaries
  • Video
  • Odds
    • MLB Odds
    • NHL Odds
    • NFL Odds
    • NBA Odds
    • NCAAF Odds
    • NCAAB Odds
    • CFL Odds
    • UFC Odds
    • Boxing Odds
    • MLS Odds
    • PGA Odds
  • About
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
Font ResizerAa
Dodger BlueDodger Blue
Font ResizerAa
  • Dodgers News
  • Rumors
  • Schedules
  • Team
  • Video
  • Odds
  • About
Search
  • Dodgers News
    • MLB News
  • Rumors
  • Schedules
    • 2025 Spring Training
    • 2025 Dodger Stadium giveaways
    • 2025 regular season
  • Team
    • Active roster
    • Salaries
  • Video
  • Odds
    • MLB Odds
    • NHL Odds
    • NFL Odds
    • NBA Odds
    • NCAAF Odds
    • NCAAB Odds
    • CFL Odds
    • UFC Odds
    • Boxing Odds
    • MLS Odds
    • PGA Odds
  • About
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
Follow US
© 2024 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Dodger Blue > MLB News > MLB News: Shohei Ohtani Officially Posted By Nippon-Ham Fighters
MLB News

MLB News: Shohei Ohtani Officially Posted By Nippon-Ham Fighters

Matt Borelli
December 2, 2017
3 Min Read
Masterpress/Getty Images
SHARE

After a ratification agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, Japanese star Shohei Ohtani was officially posted to all 30 Major League clubs on Friday afternoon.

Last week, Ohtani’s representatives sent a memo to each team, asking how they would utilize the once-in-a-generation player should he sign with them.

Japanese media outlets have reported that Ohtani is already in Los Angeles and plans to meet with interested teams as early as next week. A new tidbit was discovered on Friday, however, when multiple executives revealed that Ohtani may prefer to sign with a club that lacks a Japanese star.

While Ohtani’s camp hasn’t commented on the matter, that bit of news doesn’t bode well for two major pursuers in the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

The Los Angeles Dodgers boasted two of the league’s best Japanese pitchers in Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda during the World Series, but the former is expected to depart in free agency. The Yankees, meanwhile, have featured Masahiro Tanaka at the top of their rotation since the 2014 season.

Ohtani is a supreme talent in the form of a two-way player. As a hitter, he owns a career slash line of .286/.358/.500 in 1,170 plate appearances, with 70 doubles, 48 home runs and 166 RBI. On the mound, he has pitched to a 2.52 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 543 career innings with 624 strikeouts — good for a 10.3 strikeouts per nine ratio.

Should a team sign Ohtani, the posting fee of presumably $20 million would then be paid to the Nippon-Ham Fighters. As it stands, he likely will not receive a signing bonus larger than $5 million. In the Dodgers’ case, they’re limited to offering a $300,000 bonus because of exceeding their international bonus pool in the previous signing period.

The Texas Rangers have the most to offer him at $3.535 million, although he could open himself up to better marketing opportunities if he were to sign with a team like the Dodgers or Yankees.

Ohtani has to be signed within 21 days of being posted, so a resolution on what team he will be playing with come 2018 will come before 8:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 22.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
TAGGED:Los Angeles DodgersShohei Ohtani
ByMatt Borelli
Matt Borelli covers the Los Angeles Dodgers as a staff writer for Dodger Blue and holds similar responsibilities for Lakers Nation, a sister site with an emphasis on the Los Angeles Lakers. He also contributes to RamsNewswire.com and RaidersNewswire.com. An avid fantasy sports player, Matt is a former 2014 MLB Beat the Streak co-champion. His favorite Dodgers moment, among a list of many, is Clayton Kershaw's no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies in 2014. Follow him on Twitter: @mcborelli.
Ad imageAd image
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Get breaking Dodgers News direct to your inbox.

You Might Also Like

Spring TrainingVideo

Dodgers Highlights: Andrew Toles Hits First Home Run Of Spring Training

February 28, 2018
February 28, 2018
Rob Manfred, Cactus League Media Day, 2025 Spring Training
MLB News

Rob Manfred Anticipates ABS Challenge System Will Be Part Of Next CBA Negotiations

April 13, 2025
April 13, 2025
Clayton Kershaw
Dodgers NewsFeatured

Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw Calls 2,500 Career Strikeouts ‘Huge Honor’

September 4, 2020
September 3, 2020
Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, FOCO, 2024 World Series
DodgerBlueEditorial

FOCO Selling Aaron Judge & Shohei Ohtani Bobbleheads, Plus More World Series Collectibles

October 26, 2024
October 26, 2024

Categories

  • News
  • Rumors
  • Games
  • History

Information

  • Advertise
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Get breaking Dodgers News direct to your inbox.

© 2025 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?

  • 日本語
  • 한국어