Why is Shohei Ohtani so special? Unique abilities and accomplishments of Dodgers' 700,000,000 star, dissected
Shohei Ohtani's move to the LA Dodgers is a landmark event in sports as the two-way phenom bagged an unprecedented $700,000,000 contract. It is the biggest ever contract in North American sports history.
His contract eclipses big deals like Mike Trout's $426.5 million deal in 2019 with the LA Angels and Patrick Mahomes' $450 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.
But what is so special about Ohtani that the Dodgers broke the bank for the Japanese star? Often labeled as the baseball 'unicorn', Ohtani's two-way game is almost unheard of in modern-era baseball.
A lethal striker with the bat in hand, Ohtani has remarkable pitching abilities in his armory as well. Even since making his MLB debut with the Angels in 2018, the Japanese All-Star has been in the top 10 in both ERA+ and OPS+, drawing comparisons with baseball icons like Leon Day, Bullet Rogan, MartÃn Dihigo, and Babe Ruth.
His two-way ability has earned him two AL MVP titles and while his slugging often takes center stage, Ohtani's former Angels teammate Mike Trout can vouch for the Japanese's pitching abilities. Trout became a victim of Ohtani as the latter guided Japan to their third World Baseball Classic triumph against the United States.
Shohei Ohtani likely to play as DH in his first season with the Dodgers
Although the former Angels star's two-way ability makes him a rare talent, the Dodgers won't be able to utilize his pitching talent in 2024. The Japanese phenom is likely to play as a DH for the 2020 World Series winners as he underwent elbow surgery after sustaining a torn UCL earlier this year.
Dave Roberts' team won't be risking the record signing in the upcoming season as it was Ohtani's second Tommy John surgery. He underwent the same procedure after his first MLB season with the Angels in 2018. The second surgery is often considered detrimental to the pitcher's ability.