Ohtani moving to Dodgers in record 10-yr, $700-M deal

LOS ANGELES -- Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani confirmed on Saturday he is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in a record-shattering 10-year, $700 million deal -- the richest contract in the history of North American sport.

After weeks of frenzied speculation over where the 29-year-old Los Angeles Angels two-way ace would land in free agency, Ohtani announced on Instagram he had opted for his former club's cross-town rivals.

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

"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," Ohtani added.

Ohtani's agent Nez Balelo said in a statement the deal would be worth $700 million over 10 years, a historic figure that smashed the previous record baseball contract as well as bettering the largest deals ever agreed in the NFL and NBA.

Balelo described Ohtani's mammoth payday as a "unique historic contract, for a unique historic player."

"Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization," Balelo said. "He is excited to begin this partnership."

The previous largest contract awarded in baseball was the 12-year, $426.5 million extension handed to Ohtani's Angels team-mate Mike Trout in 2019.

Until Ohtani's deal, the largest contract in any sport in North America belonged to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who agreed a 10-year, $450 million extension in 2020.

Mahomes was among several US sports stars to react to news of Ohtani's gargantuan payday.

"Bro like what!...Congrats to him," the NFL star wrote on social media.

Cleveland NBA star Donovan Mitchell chimed in: "$700 million is crazy!! And he deserves every penny of that too."

Ohtani has taken Major League Baseball by storm since landing in the league in 2018, with his almost unheard of combination of elite pitching and hitting prowess earning him comparisons to Babe Ruth.

- Making history -

Although his talents were not enough to help spark a revival in the Angels' fortunes – the team failed to make the playoffs following his arrival – Ohtani nevertheless dazzled in a flagging franchise.

He has twice been named American League Most Valuable Player, in 2021 and 2023, on both occasions winning by unanimous vote – the only player in history to achieve that distinction.

Although elbow injuries have cut short his pitching appearances – he missed the final month of the 2023 campaign with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow – this season was his most successful to date.

As a designated hitter, Ohtani led the AL in home runs with 44, in on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.654) and total bases (325).

He hit 26 doubles and eight triples with 20 stolen bases and 95 runs-batted-in. He hit over .300 for the first time in his six-year major league career.

In 23 pitching starts he went 10-5 with a 3.14 earned-run-average and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.

He had the lowest batting average against (.184) among all AL pitchers with at least 130 innings.

It marked Ohtani's second straight season with at least 10 wins on the mound and 10 home runs at the plate.

The only other player to accomplish that feat was New York Yankees legend Ruth back in 1918.

Although revered as a dual threat, Ohtani will not pitch in 2024 to help his arm recover but will still be able to hit.

Even though he will be absent from the mound next season, his offensive talents and future pitching potential proved irresistible to the Dodgers.

Ohtani's departure from the Angels had become inevitable as the franchise struggled for relevance during the Japanese star's six seasons with the club.

In that time the Angels failed to reach the postseason or even register a winning season.

But while Ohtani was frustrated in his pursuit of success with the Angels, he was the driving force behind Japan's victory in the World Baseball Classic in March.

He helped close out a fairytale 3-2 victory for Japan over the United States in the final of the showpiece in Miami, striking out Angels teammate and US captain Mike Trout to clinch his country's third WBC victory following triumphs in 2006 and 2009.

As well as being a standout on the field, Ohtani has also been a one-man commercial juggernaut off the field. He reportedly made a one-season MLB record $65 million in salary and endorsements these season, making him the highest paid player in baseball.

He also had the best-selling jersey of any Major League Baseball player this season -- the first time a Japanese player topped the list.

Agence France-Presse

Ohtani undergoes elbow surgery, tipped for 'full recovery'

LOS ANGELES -- Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani underwent surgery to repair his injured elbow on Tuesday, with a top sports injury surgeon stating that the Los Angeles Angels ace will be ready to hit and pitch again in 2025.

Ohtani has not pitched since being diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right elbow last month, and has since been shut down for the remainder of the regular season after suffering a side strain.

"Shohei had his procedure this morning at Kerlan & Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles," Ohtani's agent Nez Balelo said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The final decision and type of procedure was made with a heavy emphasis on the big picture. Shohei wanted to make sure the direction taken gave him every opportunity to hit and pitch for many years to come."

Los Angeles surgeon Neal ElAttrache, who last week operated on Aaron Rodgers after the New York Jets quarterback ruptured his Achilles tendon, performed the procedure on Tuesday.

ElAttrache said Ohtani would be fit in time to hit for the start of the 2024 season, and would be able to hit and pitch by 2025.

"The ultimate plan, after deliberation with Shohei, was to repair the issue at hand and to reinforce the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow," ElAttrache said.

"I expect full recovery and he'll be ready to hit without any restrictions come opening day of 2024 and (hit and pitch) come 2025."

Ohtani meanwhile vowed to make a full recovery after saying the procedure "went very well."

"I will work as hard as I can and do my best to come back on the diamond stronger than ever," he wrote on Instagram.

Ohtani's future has been shrouded in uncertainty since his elbow injury, with the star entering free agency at the end of the season.

The 29-year-old is expected to be the subject of a frenzied bidding war during the off-season with several clubs expected to make a run to land his signature.

Ohtani, described as the best two-way threat since Babe Ruth, had been enjoying a stellar season, smashing 44 home runs while boasting a 3.14 ERA from the mound with 167 strikeouts from 132 innings.

Agence France-Presse

Ohtani named MLB All-Star Game pitcher and hitter again

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has been named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game as a pitcher and batter for the second consecutive season, MLB announced Sunday.

The 28-year-old Japanese star, named the American League's Most Valuable Player last year, was the first player in All-Star history to be named to the contest as a pitcher and position player when it happened last year.

This season, Ohtani has smacked 19 home runs as a designated hitter, and as a right-hander on the mound has a 2.44 earned-run average in 14 pitching starts.

Ohtani was last year's All-Star Game starting and winning pitcher for the American League, as well as the team's leadoff batter as designated hitter.

Fans voted Ohtani into the game as a designated hitter, while MLB named pitchers and reserves for both the American and National League squads on Sunday.

This year's MLB All-Star Game will be played July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Ohtani picks up Outstanding Designated Hitter honors

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Angels' two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani added another award to his trophy chest on Monday after the Japanese slugger won the Outstanding Designated Hitter (OHD) award for the 2021 season, Major League Baseball said.

Ohtani, a starting pitcher who also hits, was unanimously named the American League's Most Valuable Player (MVP) earlier this month and is the first player to earn MVP and ODH awards in the same season.

The 27-year-old posted a slash line of .258/.373/.608 with 92 runs scored, 122 hits, 20 doubles, eight triples, 43 home runs, 91 RBI and 25 stolen bases across 126 games as a DH for the Angels.

J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox finished second in the vote of club beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments with nominees including all players with a minimum of 100 at-bats as a DH.

Ohtani, who is often compared to MLB great Babe Ruth because of his ability to pitch and hit at an elite level, is only the second Japanese player to win the MVP award. Ichiro Suzuki earned the honors in 2001 as a member of the Seattle Mariners. 

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

-reuters-

Baseball: Angels reel in Trout with record deal

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout is poised to sign the most lucrative contract in baseball history after agreeing a 12-year contract extension worth more than $430 million, reports said Tuesday.

ESPN reported that Trout, widely regarded as the best player in baseball, is set to shatter the $330 million record deal agreed between Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this month.

The 27-year-old was set to become a free agent after the 2020 season when his current six-year $144.5 million contract expires.

The new contract adds 10 years to Trout's existing deal, which contains no opt-out clause, reports said.

The Angels did not immediately confirm reports of the deal.

The mega-extension makes Trout the first player to sign a contract worth more than $400 million.

The deal also comes after a close season which has seen several massive deals.

In addition to Harper's $330 million move to the Phillies -- the highest dollar-value contract in baseball until now -- Manny Machado had also moved to the San Diego Padres for $300 million over 10 years.

Prior to that, Giancarlo Stanton had been the only player to boast a $300 million contract with his 13-year, $325 million extension signed in November 2014 with the Marlins. Stanton later moved to the New York Yankees.

Trout's deal will also make him baseball's highest paid player, in terms of annual salary, averaging out at around $35.83 million. 

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke was the previous highest-paid player, pocketing $34.4 million in his current deal.

The contract extension emphatically lays to rest any questions about Trout's future.

Harper had drawn accusations of tampering after saying earlier this month he planned to call Trout to urge him to join the Phillies when he entered free agency in 2020.

Trout however has decided his future remains in southern California, where he has flourished since being selected as the 25th overall pick in the 2009 Draft by the Angels.

In the intervening period, Trout has won rookie of the year honours and was league MVP in 2014 and 2016, amassing 240 career home runs in seven full seasons.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

A's explode for 21 runs, 22 hits in routing Angels

Stephen Piscotty, Nick Martini and Chad Pinder smacked home runs to highlight a 22-hit assault Thursday afternoon, powering the Oakland Athletics to a 21-3 trouncing of the Los Angeles Angels in Oakland, California.

Marcus Semien collected three hits and five RBIs as the A's (92-61) amassed a season-high for runs en route to their second straight win, one that increased their lead over idle Tampa Bay (85-66) to six games in the race for the second wild-card spot in the American League.

Mike Trout homered for the Angels, his 36th of the season.

Down 1-0 after Jose Fernandez drove in a run against Oakland starter Edwin Jackson (6-3) with a third-inning double, the A's responded with five runs in the bottom of the third and seven in the fourth for a 12-1 lead as they never looked back.

Piscotty had the big hit of the third inning, a three-run homer three batters after a two-run double by Matt Chapman. The homer was Piscotty's 26th of the season.

The A's made it a rout in the fourth with seven consecutive hits -- RBI singles by Jed Lowrie, Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Piscotty, then a double by Ramon Laureano before Semien lined a two-run single.

Oakland added six runs in the sixth inning, with Semien providing a bases-clearing double, and teed off on Francisco Arcia, a catcher, for three runs in the seventh on home runs by Martini, a two-run shot that was the first of his career, and Pinder, his 12th.

Arcia got a measure of revenge in the ninth inning, powering his sixth homer of the season off Oakland's fifth pitcher, Chris Hatcher, to complete the scoring.

Jackson worked one out into the sixth inning, allowing two runs and three hits. He walked three and struck out seven.

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (2-2) didn't survive the third, pulled after giving up Oakland's first five runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Piscotty finished with four RBIs for the A's, while Martini and Josh Phegley each scored three times and recorded three hits.

Piscotty, Lowrie, Davis, Laureano and Chapman added two hits apiece for the A's, who won the series two games to one.

Fernandez had two hits for the Angels, who had won the series opener 9-7 before getting outscored 31-3 in the next two games.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Angels optimistic about Ohtani's health

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Angels say they are confident in the health of prized acquisition Shohei Ohtani, despite a report that he has ligament damage in his pitching elbow.

"Shohei underwent a thorough physical with MRI scans to both his elbow and his shoulder," Angels general manager Billy Eppler said in a statement after the story broke on Tuesday night.

"Those are scans we conduct whenever we sign a pitcher. Based on the readings of those MRIs, there are not signs of acute trauma in the elbow. It looks consistent with players his age. We are pleased with the results of the physical and we are very happy to have the player."

Ohtani, a two-way talent whose 100 mph (160 km/h) fastball and explosive presence at the plate made him a target of myriad Major League Baseball clubs, opted for the Angels last week and agreed to a deal worth some $2.3 million.

The Angels will also pay a $20 million posting fee to the Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Eppler said the Angels, like the other Major League teams wooing him, were aware of the fact that Ohtani received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow in October.

Eppler called it a "preventative" measure taken by his Japanese club.

And Angels manager Mike Scioscia reiterated at the winter meetings in Florida on Wednesday that the team feels no cause for concern.

"Our understanding is there is no restrictions at all going into spring training," Scioscia said. "He'll get down there in plenty of time and be ready to go."

source: news.abs-cbn.com