CNN –
Shohei Ohtani has always believed in himself – and that will soon reap huge rewards.
From an ambitious 18-year-old to becoming one of the best two-way players baseball has ever seen, his journey has been one of confidence and dedication.
And now Ohtani is set to capitalize on that success – according to several media reports, he’s set to receive a huge reward with the signing of a new contract that will make him the highest-paid baseball player of all time.
“This is new territory when it comes to assessing the value of this unique talent,” Jeffrey Fellenzer, a professor of sports journalism at the University of Southern California, told CNN Sport. “The numbers you hear, be it $50 million or $60 million, he’s going to set a new standard. It’s going to be a gold standard for compensation in baseball.”
In 2017, with a Japan Series win and a Pacific League MVP award, 23-year-old Ohtani was at a crossroads: he traveled to America and signed with a Major League Baseball (MLB) roster for a high of $3.5 million According to the LA Times, which spoke to several league executives, he could either get a bonus or put his lifelong dream on hold for two years, going into unrestricted free agency and potentially getting a 200-year contract secure millions of dollars.
At the time, MLB’s international contract rules limited Ohtani to a rookie salary, but the coveted candidate valued American competition over an immediate, massive salary.
Ohtani was banking on climbing the ranks of baseball’s top players and bringing his Japanese success to American fields by signing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 for a $2.3 million bonus, according to Spotrac. Now, the 28-year-old is set to make money at the end of the season: According to the New York Post, Ohtani is expected to make over $500 million in his next contract — about $50 million a year.
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Ohtani is congratulated on his fifth inning home run against the Texas Rangers.
The Japanese superstar can change the trajectory of a game from the pitcher’s mound or the batter’s box. Last year, “Sho-time” became the first player to finish in the top 15 in both home runs and strikeouts in a season since the mound was moved to the current distance in 1893. He currently sits top three in both categories this season – Ohtani is doing things previously thought unimaginable in the sport.
“He’s not just an all-star, he’s a megastar,” said Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker during Ohtani’s dominance of the 2022 season. “One of the best offensive players and one of the best pitchers. And he’s smart – I can tell from the way he plays that he’s talented, but he’s smart.”
Ohtani will likely add another MVP to his trophy cabinet at the end of the season. His tackle prowess is unparalleled, a unique dominance spell that was hardly predictable, especially given the two-handed star’s desire to play on both sides of the ball, which was met with skepticism when his name first crept onto the MLB radar.
Originally desperate for a chance to compete in the United States, 18-year-old Ohtani was determined to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and follow in the footsteps of great Japanese pitchers Yu Darvish and Hideo Nomo. However, the Dodgers had doubts about the idea of hiring the Japanese prodigy as a two-way player, so Ohtani signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he enjoyed a successful four-year career.
The Dodgers attacking Ohtani was an understandable mistake by one of America’s elite franchises. When Ohtani finally made it onto “The Show,” critics cast doubt on his do-it-all style simply because they hadn’t seen anything like it in decades.
“There’s going to be a big learning curve,” baseball writer Scott Miller told CNN in 2018. “Since the days of Babe Ruth, no one has tried to walk both paths as a hitter and pitcher.”
Today, Ohtani’s name is mentioned in conversations with the legendary Ruth, not only because of his great accomplishments on the field, but also because of his significant influence on the growth of baseball around the world.
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Ohtani shoots in the first inning against the Seattle Mariners.
“[Ohtani] increases interest in Japanese baseball – who will be the next Ohtani?” said Fellenzer. “It increases interest in baseball, period, here. It increases interest in Japanese baseball here. We’ll be a little more vigilant now when they tell us who has the best prospects in Japan.”
As Ohtani delivers impressive performance after impressive performance, he not only keeps the Angels afloat, but also “America’s Pastime.” “Sho-time” is a must-see TV show, a revelation of baseball culture that appeals to and attracts a younger demographic while further legitimizing Japan as a baseball powerhouse.
Ohtani’s upcoming payday will change the way MLB structures superstar contracts, and front offices will scout and sign more two-way players in hopes of finding the next dominant dual threat. Teams may also be more patient when approaching international talent – Ohtani’s road to becoming one of the game’s all-time greats has not been without obstacles.
After a smashing first season that saw Ohtani win American League Rookie of the Year, the following two seasons were fraught with injuries, including surgery by Tommy John that kept Ohtani off the hill for almost two years.
Ulnar collateral ligament repair, as it’s medically called, is a transplant procedure in which doctors harvest tendons from another part of the body—the forearm, hamstrings, hip, or knee—and replace the medial ligament in the elbow with the transplanted portion. Two holes are drilled in the patient’s arm bones and the replacement band is woven between the two holes in a pattern resembling a figure eight.
It meant his juicy payday was put on hold again – Ohtani re-signed to a two-year, $8.5 million deal with the Angels in 2021.
An MVP and two All-Star selections later, the phenom is back on his way to making megastar money, but his eyes are on the World Series, whether as Angel or at another team.
“I really like the team. i love the fans I love the atmosphere in the team,” Ohtani said through an interpreter in 2021.
“But more than that, I want to win. That’s the biggest thing for me. I’ll leave it at that.”
Ohtani gets the Angels up to speed for a winning record for the first time since 2015. As of July 2, the MVP leader has led the league in home runs, runs batted and extra base hits from home plate.
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Ohtani receives his 2021 American League MVP trophy alongside teammate and three-time MVP outfielder Mike Trout.
Ohtani’s unprecedented run is a dream that has earned him decades of baseball records.
Pitching and hitting are almost two completely different sports, with different nuances to perfect and different training regimens and scouting reports to understand. The two couldn’t be further apart, yet Ohtani has managed to master nearly every aspect of the game.
After hitting two homers, beating ten White Sox batters, and earning the Angels’ 4-2 win over the White Sox in late June, Angels manager Phil Nevin perhaps best summed up Ohtani.
“We see things every day that we’ve never seen before,” Nevin said after the win. “You try not to take it for granted. I don’t think many of us do that.”