Shohei Ohtani, a superstar designated hitter and pitcher, reportedly earns more in sponsorship money per year than the combined players of several other teams.
The Japanese player has already signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the richest contract in MLB history.
But according to a new report: Athletic We’ve detailed the shocking numbers behind Ohtani’s endorsement deal, which, if true, amounts to more revenue than the combined payroll of five MLB teams.
“He has blossomed.”
According to The Athletic Ken RosenthalAccording to Ohtani, a prominent baseball journalist, the sponsorship deal is approaching $100 million a year.
Rosenthal said he learned from an alleged industry source who was briefed on Ohtani’s income that it could soon exceed $100 million.
What’s even more shocking is the speed at which Ohtani reached these numbers. In March 2023, he will Forbes list He was named to the list of the highest-paid athletes and said at the time that he was making $35 million from endorsement deals, while the other nine athletes on that list were making a combined $13.2 million from endorsement deals.
One year later, in March 2024, Sportico That figure has risen to an estimated $65 million in sponsorship income for the year, making his sponsorship income higher than the annual salary of any major league player.
A few months later, in July, Ohtani’s new endorsement deal was worth $100 million, more than the combined income of several baseball teams’ players.
The Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and soon-to-be Oakland Athletics Payroll under $100 million.
Had Ohtani’s salary not been deferred until the end of his contract, he would have outbid at least 10 other teams. Instead, he will make $2 million a year with the Dodgers through the end of 2033. When his contract expires in 2034, when he’ll be 39, he’ll be receiving a whopping $68 million a year over 10 years.
“He’s blossomed,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s a lot more independent, a lot more open, which is ironic considering the person he trusted the most deceived him. His true character is coming out. I think he’s happier than he’s ever been.”
What’s interesting about Ohtani being so much more open now is that while he barely says anything, the numbers speak louder than words.
As of this writing, Ohtani is fourth in the league in hits, second in home runs, fourth in RBIs, fourth in batting average, second in slugging percentage and second in OPS — all while nursing an elbow injury.
Few players have performed as well as Ohtani, and his momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censorship and sign up for our newsletter to receive stories like this directly to your inbox. Register here!
