After winning his second AL MVP, Shohei Ohtani finally made his free agency decision and joined the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million deal.
Ohtani was the hottest name in MLB free agency, with teams lining up to convince the 29-year-old to sign with them. The Dodgers had long been fancied to acquire the three-time All-Star, and they were able to pull it off.
While the Dogders paid big time to get him, here are some reasons why the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani are the perfect match
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Dodgers address Ohtani's wish to win
Having played for the Los Angeles Angels since 2018, Ohtani wants to be on a winning team and get better chances at winning a World Series title. He has already copped several individual accolades, highlighted by two AL MVP awards.
The Dodgers will have to settle in seeing Ohtani focus on mainly just hitting in 2024. The Japanese player underwent surgery to address a UCL tear in his elbow, the Associated Press reported.
The medical procedure was done with a heavy emphasis on the bigger picture. Ohtani is unlikely to do any heavy pitching until 2025. Fortunately, the Dodgers have a lot of depth to be patient and wait for Ohtani.
Dodgers and Ohtani are a perfect match on and off the field
Looking at the business part, the Dodgers and Ohtani stand to gain with their deal. The Dodgers can benefit a lot from a marketing standpoint and take advantage of Ohtani's popularity.
It is nothing new for Ohtani, and it also means he doesn't have to find a new place to settle in, MLB.com pointed out. He loves it in Southern California. Hence, no adjustment to any new environment will be one less worry on his part.
Shohei Ohtani may be the missing piece for the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are bent on winning its eighth World Series title. They have a winning tradition and have the money to spend. Those three factors alone check what Ohtani is looking for - suggesting he may be the missing piece the Guggenheim Baseball Management has been searching for a long time
Hence, it is no surprise that the Dodgers pulled out all the stops to get their hands on the Japanese pitching sensation. They gave him the largest contract in MLB history, showing faith that they see him as a big part of their future.
Given these three reasons, it is not surprising that the Dodgers and Ohtani paired up with each other.
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