Customers shop around for character goods of Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers at a sporting goods store, "SELECTION," in Shinjuku district Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Tokyo. Ohtani agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Los Angeles Dodgers will officially introduce Shohei Ohtani at a news conference on Thursday.
The two-time AL MVP agreed to a record-setting $700 million, 10-year deal last weekend.
Ohtani will address the media at Dodger Stadium’s Centerfield Plaza during an outdoor afternoon news conference.
A unique two-way superstar as both a hitter and pitcher, the 29-year-old Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent after six years to sign with the Dodgers in a deal they announced Monday night.
Ohtani’s move from Anaheim to Hollywood has sent fans on both sides of the Pacific Ocean flocking to buy Dodgers merchandise and tickets on the secondary market. The team has yet to begin single-game ticket sales for the upcoming season.
Ohtani will receive just $20 million of his contract over the next 10 years, with $680 million payable from 2034-43 in an unusual structure that gives the team greater payroll flexibility in coming seasons.
Ohtani’s contract calls for annual salaries of $70 million, according to details obtained by The Associated Press. Of each year’s salary, $68 million is deferred with no interest, payable in equal installments each July 1 from 2034-43.
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