Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
Shohei Ohtani is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract that is the richest in professional sports history.
Ohtani announced his free agency decision on Instagram, selecting the Dodgers over fellow finalists Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
Ohtani’s contract surpasses the MLB and North American sports record that was previously held by former Angels teammate Mike Trout when he signed a 12-year, $426.5 million extension in March 2019. Lionel Messi had the all-time sports record at $674 million he received from FC Barcelona.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” said Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent. “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 their consideration as it played out.”
The landmark signing reverberated throughout the sports world and has created a frenzy for new Ohtani merchandise and apparel with the Dodgers.
Select t-shirts are available from licensed MLB partners, but not the league itself.
How to buy Ohtani Dodgers jersey
Fans looking to buy a Shohei Ohtani Dodgers jersey will need to wait until the signing is made official. That entails Ohtani taking a physical to complete the signing and the Dodgers making room on their 40-man roster.
Such also applies to Joe Kelly, who agreed to re-sign for the 2024 season, but his deal is still pending a physical and official announcement from the team.
An Ohtani Dodgers jersey will be available at MLBshop.com, Fanatics, Nike and more retailers. It’s presumed Ohtani will continue wearing No. 17 with the Dodgers.
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