Here's one to keep an eye on as Ohtani heads up I-5. Ohtani has hit 171 home runs in his career, all with the Angels. No player has hit at least 20 home runs for both the Angels and Dodgers – at least not yet. One player has 19 each: Frank Robinson, 50 with the Angels and 19 with the Dodgers.
Let's delve deeper into the context. Here are nine stats and facts about Ohtani's new contract and team.
The contract
• We have to start with the conditions. With a term of 10 years and $700 million, it is probably the largest contract in the history of professional sports. The largest baseball contract to date by total value was Mike Trout's 12-year, $426.5 million extension with the Angels in 2019. That's $273.5 million more, almost what Alex Rodriguez was worth at the time Record contract for $275 million at the beginning of 2008.
• For MLB free agents, the largest deal ever was Aaron Judge's nine-year, $360 million contract before the 2023 season. Ohtani's contract increases that record by $340 million, which is exactly the same value as Fernando Tatis Jr. extended with the start of the 2021 season.
• It also sets the record for the average annual value of an MLB contract, previously set by Max Scherzer at $43.3 million beginning the Mets' 2022 season and tied by Justin Verlander with the Mets a year later became.
The MVP
• Players in Ohtani's position who have just won an MVP award typically don't move on to new teams. He is just the fourth reigning MVP to change teams this offseason. He joins 2017 Giancarlo Stanton, who traded from the Marlins to the Yankees; 2003 Rodriguez, traded from the Rangers to the Yankees; and in 1992 Barry Bonds, who went from the Pirates to the Giants as a free agent.
• Ohtani was the fifth player granted free agency in the offseason after winning MVP, a unique and small group. As mentioned above, Bonds was the only other player to change teams. The three who re-signed with the same team were Judge with the Yankees in 2022, Rodriguez with the Yankees in 2007, and Robin Yount with the Brewers in 1989.
• Ohtani led MLB with a 184 OPS+ in 2023. That's the most by a qualified hitter changing teams the following offseason since Jim Thome in 2002. Thome led the AL with a 197 OPS+ for Cleveland, finished seventh in MVP voting and then signed in December as a free agent with Philadelphia.
• Ohtani is the reigning MVP and has won the award twice in the AL. It's fair to wonder if he'll add another to his trophy collection with the Dodgers. Since the BBWAA began voting in 1931, only five players with two franchises have won an MVP award. These are Robinson (Reds, Orioles), Bonds (Pirates, Giants), Rodriguez (Rangers, Yankees) and Jimmie Foxx (Athletics, Red Sox). and Bryce Harper (Nationals, Phillies). Of these, only Robinson won in both leagues.
And of course, because the Dodgers have so much talent, this dual-franchise reference would apply to both Betts and Freeman if either won another MVP award — and the league reference would also apply to Betts.
The star-studded Dodgers
• With Ohtani winning the AL MVP and Betts and Freeman finishing second and third in the NL MVP, the 2024 Dodgers will become the fifth team to start a season with three players who were ranked among the team in the previous season The top three in MVP voting landed in both leagues this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They will join the 2004 Yankees, 1967 Orioles, 1960 White Sox and 1942 Dodgers.
The 2004 Yankees had Rodriguez, who won the AL MVP in 2003; Jorge Posada, who finished third in the AL; and Gary Sheffield, who came third in the Netherlands. The '67 Orioles had Frank Robinson, who won the 1966 AL MVP, and Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell, who finished second and third, respectively, in the AL. The 1960 White Sox had reigning AL MVP Nellie Fox as well as Luis Aparicio and Early Wynn, who were 2-3 behind their 1959 teammate. And the '42 Dodgers had Dolph Camilli, who won the NL MVP in 1941 ahead of teammates Pete Reiser and Whit Wyatt.
• Betts (second), Freeman (third) and Ohtani (fifth) all ranked top five in MLB in position player WAR in 2023, according to FanGraphs. If they can repeat this feat in any form, they would be shortlisted. Only three teams since 1900 have had three of the top five MLB position player WARs in a season: 1948 Cleveland (Joe Gordon, Ken Keltner, Lou Boudreau), the 1942 Yankees (Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, Gordon), and 1904 Cleveland (Bill Bradley , Elmer Flick, Nap Lajoie).