Dodgers Plan to Formally Introduce Shohei Ohtani Thursday
The press conference to introduce Shohei Ohtani has been announced. Dodger Stadium will be open to the media – not fans – on Thursday at 3 p.m. P.T. The event will air live on SportsNet LA for fans to watch.
This is a moment that many people have been waiting for since the news dropped that Ohtani chose to sign with the Dodgers. Ohtani even said that he wanted to speak more about his decision at a later date. Thursday is the day.
The Dodgers’ long pursuit of Ohtani finally came together this offseason after previously courting him after his final season of high school baseball in Japan, and when he left for Major League Baseball in 2017. This is a player who transcends the sport of baseball, and holds his own weight off the field as much as on it.
Ohtani’s record-setting contract is the largest in sports history. Even accounting for the future value of the contract, which defers 97 percent of his $700 million outlay, it will be the largest in baseball history when MLB’s final accounting is in. Ohtani is unlike any player that we have ever seen on the field, so it’s fitting that his contract represents the same.
Ohtani agreed to defer all but $2 million of his annual salary until the end of his contract. He reportedly made the same offer to all teams courting him in free agency. He can anticipate questions about the decision to defer $680 million of his $700 million at the end of the 10 years.
After being stuck in mediocrity for years with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani wanted to give his next team a chance to win. The Dodgers ought to have room to add to their payroll before incurring a luxury tax, even with the game’s highest-paid player on their payroll.
This now puts pressure on the Dodgers’ front office to spend money each season. They are in a great position to surround Ohtani with the best possible team they can, and this should excite all Dodgers fans.
Ohtani hasn’t spoken to the media since August, despite winning the American League MVP award in November. With the Dodgers, he may need to speak more often in response to the added media requests. This press conference is where it all begins.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
