The Shohei Ohtani era officially came to an end on Monday afternoon when the Los Angeles Dodgers announced his signing to a 10-year, $700 million contract.
“Shohei Ohtani is a generational player and it was an honor to watch him make history throughout the six seasons he spent in an Angels uniform,” the Los Angeles Angels said in a statement.
“We feel extremely fortunate that Angels fans were able to witness him redefine what is possible in our sport. We thank Shohei for his many contributions to our franchise and the game of baseball. We wish him the best during the next chapter of his career.”
Ohtani spent the first six seasons of his Major League career with the Angels, who consistently struggled to be competitive throughout that time.
On an individual level, those six years were filled with an American League Rookie of the Year Award, two unanimous MVPs, Silver Sluggers and more accolades. Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to win multiple MVP Awards in unanimous fashion.
He hit .274/.366/.556 with 171 home runs and 437 RBI during his Angels career. On the mound, Ohtani went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481.2 innings pitched across 86 starts.
Despite the Angels’ ongoing struggles, they were among the reported finalists during Ohtani’s free agency process. Multiple reports suggest he was down to deciding between the Dodgers and Angels despite a widespread belief the Toronto Blue Jays made a strong push.
Ultimately, Ohtani received a record-setting contract from the Dodgers that is the richest in professional sports history. But, Ohtani’s deal includes significant deferred salary as he will only receive $2 million annually throughout the duration of the contract.
Shohei Ohtani’s message to Angels fans
When announcing on Instagram he had decided to sign with the Dodgers, Ohtani’s caption included a heartfelt thank you message for Angels fans.
