Connect with us

Published

on

OF ALL HIS incredible abilities, Shohei Ohtani‘s capacity to shock tops the list. For the past six years, Ohtani has left us mere mortals slack-jawed as he conquered Major League Baseball, a sport that typically evolves over decades, by redefining the capabilities of a single player. In a game where players hit or pitch, he does both — and to say it so plainly undersells his excellence in each endeavor. He is the most talented baseball player in the century-and-a-half-long history of the game.

And yet on Saturday, we found there is room for another surprise. This announcement went beyond his customary flabbergasting: Ohtani agreed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a contract that would guarantee him $700 million for 10 years, with a significant chunk to be deferred until after the deal’s conclusion.

To many, the decision seemed preordained: the best player going to the best organization. It was the fashion in which it happened — with a number, 700 million, far exceeding the highest expectations — that imbued it with the sort of oomph that accompanies Ohtani’s longest home runs and angriest fastballs. From L.A. to Tokyo, the fanciest athlete alive, the one who elevated what’s possible unlike anyone before him, secured a contract that matched his magnitude.

The agreement is the biggest ever in professional team sports, nearly twice as large as the next-best free agent deal. It left not just baseball or the sporting world but the entire universe gobsmacked. In a time when anything seems possible, Ohtani’s ability to amaze is unmatched.


THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL free agency in sports since LeBron James‘ Decision ended with a chaotic final 30 hours in which erroneous reports had Ohtani on the verge of an announcement, on a plane to Canada and even agreeing to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays. Consumed by the possibility of Ohtani joining their team, fans flocked to flight-tracking websites to monitor the whereabouts of a private jet going from Southern California to Toronto. When the door swung open, Robert Herjavec, the businessman and “Shark Tank” star, emerged, much to the deflation of a Blue Jays fan base frothing at the notion that Ohtani would choose Toronto.

He didn’t.

Ohtani’s announcement came via Instagram at 3:03 p.m. ET, below a slightly blurry Dodgers logo with a caption in which he first apologized for taking so long to make his choice. The decision all of baseball had been waiting for was here, as Ohtani shared he was moving up Interstate 5 from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers.

This was the team always best positioned to leverage Ohtani’s unparalleled marketing value, to take a superstar who made Anaheim a baseball destination and create a mutually beneficial business relationship that further enriches both. While impossible to say how much money the franchise will make with Ohtani, 29, wearing Dodger blue, it’s the sort of number that left ownership pledging it would not be outbid for him in free agency. That proclamation held, and it’s easy to understand why: Ohtani is baseball’s lone crossover star, someone whose unique talents have transcended a sport with waning cultural resonance. He is on the level of LeBron, Messi and Mahomes, athletes for whom a mononym suffices.

Shohei became Shohei, of course, because of his accomplishments. He won his second American League MVP award unanimously this season despite missing the final month due to an elbow injury requiring reconstructive surgery that will keep him from pitching in 2024. In fewer than 500 at-bats as designated hitter, he still whacked 44 home runs and posted an OPS of 1.066. Over 23 starts, he struck out 167 in 132 innings and booked a 3.14 ERA. The previous year, his ERA was 2.33 and his OPS .875. The year before that: a .965 OPS, 3.18 ERA and one more unanimous MVP.

To suggest that sort of production will continue toward the end of the contract, when Ohtani will be 39, would be silly. But then to suggest a player can hit and pitch and do both at extraordinary levels was equally foolhardy, and here we are. The history of pitchers returning to the mound successfully after a second major elbow procedure within five years is short. But then this is Ohtani.


REGARDLESS OF HOW audacious that $700 million number might be, executives around baseball on Saturday agreed almost unanimously: The Dodgers pulled off a coup. Not just thieving Ohtani from Toronto and leaving the Blue Jays and their fans jilted brides. Not just staying within the rules to circumnavigate the competitive balance tax. The smartest team in baseball, the one with 10 division championships in 11 seasons (and 106 wins in the one season without), the organization that excels at analytics, scouting, drafting and player development, domestically and internationally, also happened to be moneyed enough to offer that kind of sum — as much for a single season of play (without accounting for deferrals) as some teams pay their entire rosters — and dare Ohtani to turn it down.

Besides, the eye-popping value of the contract is somewhat misleading. The Dodgers are going to pay Ohtani $700 million, but the present-day value of the contract will be markedly lower. The details matter. How much of the money is deferred (“a majority,” said a source) and how long the deferrals last will give a better sense of how good of a deal this might be for the Dodgers, minutiae that will offer a better understanding when the deal is official sometime midweek. Major League Baseball discounts deferrals when calculating the amount teams are charged in the competitive balance tax accounting system, and rather than the $70 million a year a straight contract would cost, Ohtani’s deal is expected to wind up somewhere in the range of $40 million to $50 million a year.

Which opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to further building a team around him. The Dodgers already have Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, a pair of future Hall of Famers, atop their lineup. They’ve got Will Smith, Max Muncy and James Outman behind them. Their rotation is a mess of TBDs at the moment, but Ohtani’s deal buys the Dodgers the leeway to spend plenty to fill it running a payroll that blows well beyond the first luxury tax threshold at $237 million but doesn’t necessarily exceed the $293.3 million mark Los Angeles hit in 2022.

So, yes, the Dodgers certainly will be in the bidding for Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose suitors include the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and even the Blue Jays, who would hate to be spurned twice. Adding him and Ohtani isn’t out of the question. By Game 1 of the 2024 season, which sees the Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, Yamamoto could be the starting pitcher, with Ohtani hitting behind Betts and Freeman. It would be must-watch TV, whether in the United States or abroad.

With Ohtani in the fold, the Dodgers’ worldwide appeal only grows. When Hideo Nomo arrived in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago, he was a phenom whose pipeline-opening performance captivated audiences and paved the way for Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Yu Darvish and Ohtani to thrive in MLB. If the Dodgers weren’t synonymous with Japanese baseball before, they’ll certainly be now. And with a new generation of players primed to make the leap — Yamamoto, brilliant 22-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki, slugging third baseman Munetaka Murakami and so many others — Los Angeles could cement itself as the American outpost for all the best players.

Ohtani will be at the center of it. Following a physical he is expected to pass even with his recently repaired elbow, he will be a Dodger. The rest of the sport, consequently, is on notice. This is Dodgers 2.0, bigger and better than ever, with the best player alive at the heart of it. And as spring training approaches and the Dodgers round out their roster and the full picture of this superteam’s future comes into focus, we’ll look back on the tortuous — and, for Toronto, torturous — 30 hours that delivered Shohei Ohtani to Los Angeles and remember them for their shock, sure, but for their awe too.

Continue Reading

Sports

Panthers’ Luostarinen ejected after check in 1st

Published

on

By

Panthers' Luostarinen ejected after check in 1st

SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen was ejected from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals after a boarding major against forward Jackson Blake of the Carolina Hurricanes.

With 3:01 left in the first period, Blake was chasing the puck back in his own zone with Luostarinen behind him. As Luostarinen reached out with his stick, Blake stopped short of the boards and Luostarinen hit through him. Luostarinen drove Blake’s head into the boards, bloodying the Carolina forward.

The on-ice officials gave Luostarinen a five-minute major and then reviewed the hit. They confirmed the call on the ice. Per NHL Rule 41.5, when a major penalty for boarding is called, a game misconduct is automatic. A major penalty for boarding is determined by “the degree of violence of the impact with the boards.”

Luostarinen was tied for the team lead with 13 points entering Game 3, with 4 goals and 9 assists. He scored 12 of those points on the road. Blake returned to action in the second period.

The Panthers lead the series 2-0 and had a 1-0 lead in Game 3 when the major penalty was called.

Continue Reading

Sports

Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Published

on

By

Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.

Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.

Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.

Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas RangersJosh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia PhilliesAlec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.

It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

Published

on

By

Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

The Boston Red Sox are calling up infielder Marcelo Mayer, the No. 6 prospect in baseball and a central part of their future who they hope can play a role in their push for a postseason berth this year, sources told ESPN.

Mayer, 22, who has excelled at shortstop as he ascended through the Red Sox’s farm system after they took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is likely to get playing time with All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman expected to land on the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness.

At Triple-A Worcester, where Mayer was hitting .271/.347/.471 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 43 games, he played four games at third base. Mayer also could see time at shortstop, with Trevor Story in a profound monthlong slump.

The arrival of Mayer marks the second of Boston’s big three prospects, with Kristian Campbell earning the second-base job in spring training. After a hot start, Campbell has slumped likewise and is hitting .225/.321/.369. The third of the group, outfielder Roman Anthony, is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and is hitting .323/.455/.513 with six home runs and 18 RBIs at Triple-A.

The loss of Bregman, who is hitting .299/.385/.553 in his first year with the Red Sox, takes an MVP-caliber bat out of a lineup that has struggled. The Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for the season to a ruptured tendon in his left knee and have struggled to find a productive fill-in, amplifying calls for the team to reach into its significant minor league depth.

Boston has taken Mayer’s development slowly, with injuries limiting him to 91 games in 2022, 78 games in 2023 and 77 games last year. He is a career .273/.360/.466 hitter in 315 minor league games and projects to be a middle-of-the-order bat and Boston’s long-term solution at shortstop.

Bregman’s contract includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, opening the possibility of a shift to third for Mayer. At 6-foor-3 and 190 pounds, he has both the size and the arm strength typically sought for the position. But his glove at shortstop is regarded as above average, and Boston could opt to move Story off the position for Mayer or Ceddanne Rafaela, who also plays center field for the Red Sox.

Continue Reading

Trending