ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has agreed to a $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2023 season, the final year of the two-way superstar’s arbitration eligibility before free agency.
The Angels announced the deal Saturday, avoiding a potentially complicated arbitration case with the 2021 AL MVP.
What you need to know
- The deal is the largest one-year deal ever given to an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing the $27 million the Boston Red Sox gave Mookie Bates in January 2020, a month after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Ohtani deals are fully guaranteed with no additional terms
- Ohtani has had another incredible season on the Mound of Plate and Angels
- Ohtani hit .276 with 34 homers, 94 RBI and 0.888 OPS
Ohtani’s deal is fully guaranteed and has no other terms. The deal is the largest one-year deal ever given to an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing the $27 million the Boston Red Sox gave Mookie Bates in January 2020, a month after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani’s $24.5 million raise from his 2022 salary is by far the largest arbitration-eligible player in major league history. When his salary soared from $7.4 million to $17 million before the 2019 season, he broke the record of $9.6 million set by New York Mets Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom.
Ohtani had another incredible season on the mound with homers and the Angels, often completing and surpassing feats that hadn’t happened in the majors since Babe Ruth’s heyday. He’s once again a contender for the AL MVP award with Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who has tied the AL’s home run record and is on the verge of a batting triple crown.
Ohtani hit .276 with 34 homers, 94 RBIs and 0.888 OPS. The designated hitter, who is fourth in the AL in home runs and seventh in the RBI, has 15 straight home runs against the Angels after hitting four multi-hit games last Saturday night. Texas game. .
Ohtani was even more impressive on the mound, going 15-8 with a 2.35 ERA and 213 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .207 against the Angels Aces, who had four outs in a no-hitter with the Athletics in Thursday’s most recent start.
Ohtani, 28, is scheduled for his final mound start of the season in Oakland on Wednesday, where he only needs to pitch one inning to reach his 162 points of the season, which would qualify him as the season-ending AL leader in pitching. Statistics. He currently ranks fourth in the league in wins, third in strikeouts and fourth in ERA.
Otani will remain a free agent beyond the 2023 season, and his future could be tied to the near-term fortunes of the Angels, who will finish their seventh-straight losing season next week. Despite being out of the playoffs again, the Angels didn’t trade Daegu at the deadline, who is hugely popular with the club’s fans.
Otani has repeatedly said winning will be a big factor in choosing his home beyond 2023, with Angels owner Art Moreno currently exploring a sale.
Moreno’s leadership has been widely criticized during the Angels’ mostly dismal run since 2009, and a fresh start with a new club with deep pockets may be what persuaded Otani to stay with the team he joined from Japan in 2018. best chance. Ohtani was an immediate AL Rookie of the Year award and entered unique form last season after fully recovering from Tommy John surgery.