(670 The Score) The Cubs have struck out in their quest to sign two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani has agreed to join the Dodgers on a record-breaking 10-year, $700-million contract, his agency announced Saturday afternoon. The total money is the most ever given to a player in MLB history, breaking the record previously held by Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who signed a 12-year, $426.5-million contract in 2019.
While shattering records for total guaranteed money and average annual value, Ohtani's contract also includes significant salary deferrals that will reduce the competitive balance tax cost to the Dodgers on an annual basis, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent with CAA, said in a statement. “Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization. He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success. Shohei and I want to thank all the organizations that reached out to us for their interest and respect, especially the wonderful people we got to know even better as this process unfolded. We know fans, media and the entire industry had a high degree of interest in this process, and we want to express our appreciation for their passion and consideration as it played out.”
The Cubs had seriously pursued Ohtani and were believed to be one of the final four or five teams in the mix for him, but their hope waned earlier this week at the Winter Meetings, where word trickled out that Ohtani had just visited the Blue Jays’ spring training complex and where Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism after revealing his club had recently had an hours-long meeting with Ohtani. What type of contract the Cubs offered Ohtani and details about their pursuit of him weren’t immediately clear in the aftermath of Ohtani joining the Dodgers.
In the Dodgers, Ohtani will join one of the best teams in baseball. The Dodgers are coming off a 100-win season before they bowed out in the National League Division Series. The Dodgers have won 100 or more games in five of the past six full 162-game MLB seasons. Ohtani played his first six seasons for the Angels, so he’s staying in the same area.
Ohtani is a two-time American League MVP winner, having earned the honor in 2021 and again this past season with a runner-up finish sandwiched in between in 2022. Ohtani is coming off a campaign in which he hit .304 with 44 homers, 95 RBIs and an MLB-best 1.066 OPS in 135 games in 2023, when he also posted a 3.14 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while striking out 167 batters in 132 innings across 23 starts.
Ohtani won’t pitch in 2024 after having elbow surgery in September, but he has been cleared to be a full-time hitter next season and is expected to return to the mound in 2025.
The Cubs will turn their attention elsewhere after missing out on Ohtani. The Cubs remain a suitor for Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow on the trade market, and they’ve remained in contact with free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins, according to reports.
The Cubs also have interest in Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but speculation is growing that the Mets are the front-runner to land him in free agency.