Shohei Ohtani Deal Gets MVP Out Of Texas Rangers’ Division
Shohei Ohtani is leaving the American League West after agreeing to an unprecedented deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.
The deal, announced by Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo, takes Ohtani out of the AL West — where he previously saw the Texas Rangers in four series per year — to the NL West, where Los Angeles and Texas will face off in a single three-game series each year.
The move makes his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, less of a threat to the Rangers as they seek to win the AL West outright in 2024 as part of the defense of their first World Series title.
The Rangers were reportedly an early player in the Ohtani derby, but quickly checked out to move on to other free agent targets. If Ohtani won’t be suiting up for Texas, getting him out of the AL West is the next best thing.
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 memorable Friday in which the baseball world was certain the free agent was going to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays. The day included baseball reporters following a private plane on FlightAware that ended up belonging to “Shark Tank” star and businessman Robert Herjavec.
There is no player like Ohtani in Major League Baseball, even though he won’t be pitching 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.
