Before the Juan Soto deal shook everyone in the baseball world, it was Shohei Ohtani’s deal that had everyone talking. A whopping $700 million deal for a record-breaking 10 years. It was one of the largest deals in professional sports history. Everyone questioned if the Japanese star was really worth it. And well, what an answer Ohtani has given. He talked through his game and with his bat.
Ohtani smashed 54 home runs, stole 59 bases, and led the LA Dodgers to a World Series title, their first full-season win since 1988. It’s a huge deal! And if that was not enough, he even got the National League MVP honors. That’s not just the result the LA team got; they earned a lot, too. MLB analyst A.J. Pierzynski had mentioned, “$120 million was what I was told yesterday… They paid him two million dollars this year. They made 120 million dollars.” But that’s old news; Forbes has given a figure that’s honestly jaw-dropping!
The $700M gamble paid off big time for the Dodgers
“You had to quantify that as value,” Balelo said. Clearly, the Los Angeles Dodgers understood the assignment, and they are now cashing in big time. From partnerships with Japanese retailer DAISO to insane 19 sellout games and Ohtani’s jerseys’—they are flying off the shelves. The Dodgers are dominating both on and off the field, all thanks to Ohtani. And really, he helped the team be what it is now.
Shohei Ohtani’s vision brought to life
Balelo revealed, “I don’t think we’ll ever see this type of unselfishness in an athlete to give up as much as he did. It was a huge splash in the industry that’s never been done before to that level.” But Shohei, with that decision, helped free up the budget so the franchise could build a championship-worthy team.
Ohtani’s selflessness and vision sure set a standard. Co-owner Todd Boehly mentioned, “He made the club that much better when he came to that decision.” For the Dodgers, the sky is sure to be the limit!
