Cubs Top Target Ohtani Signs Historic Deal with Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani will remain on the west coast and has agreed to the largest deal in baseball history.

The Chicago Cubs learned on Saturday that their pursuit of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani ended empty-handed.

Ohtani agreed to an unprecedented contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which will keep him on the west coast and put him in the National League for the next decade.

Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, made the announcement via social media.

The deal is incredible, a reported 10-year, $700 million with significant salary deferrals on Ohtani’s part to give the Dodgers flexibility to pursue free agents to keep the team competitive. There are also no opt-outs in the contract.

His agreement follows a Friday in which the baseball world thought the free agent was going to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays, a day that included baseball reporters following a private plane on FlightAware that ended up being the plane belonging to “Shark Tank” star and businessman Robert Herjavec.

The Cubs can now focus their attention other free agents, such as trying to retain slugger Cody Bellinger.

Ohtani and his representatives have attempted to make his free-agent courtship as private as possible. The effort was somewhat successful.

There is no player like Ohtani in Major League Baseball, though he won’t be a pitcher in 2024, thanks to his recovery from a procedure to repair his torn UCL, the second such procedure he’s had in his MLB career. He will be a designated hitter in 2024, and his representatives have made it clear to all clubs that he intends to pitch again in 2025.

Ohtani finished 2023 with a slash line of .304/.412/.654/1.066 with 44 home runs and 95 RBI, with his homers leading the American League. As a pitcher he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA with 167 strikeouts and 55 walks.

He was named the American League MVP for the second time in November, adding to the award he won in 2021 and the AL Rookie of the Year award from his 2018 season. He is also a three-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 2022.

His career numbers at the plate are .274/.366/.556/.922 with 171 home runs and 437 RBI. On the mound, he is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA.