When Shohei Ohtani decided to move to Major League Baseball in 2017, the contract he signed with the Los Angeles Angels surprised many people.

Despite being one of the most highly anticipated players ever to come out of Japan, Ohtani agreed to a deal that included a $2.3 million signing bonus and a salary of around $545,000—the minimum salary in Major League Baseball at the time.

For comparison, Japanese stars who had previously moved to MLB often signed much larger contracts.

Even Hideo Nomo, who joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 under a unique situation, received a higher total guarantee relative to expectations at the time.

The reason for Ohtani’s modest contract lay in MLB’s collective bargaining agreement, which restricts signing bonuses for international players under the age of 25.

At 23 years old, Ohtani fell under that limitation.

However, what made his decision remarkable was that he did not have to accept those terms.

If he had waited just two more years, he would have been eligible to sign a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Instead, Ohtani chose to go immediately.

When asked about his decision, he made it clear that money was not the priority.

What mattered most was the opportunity to play at the highest level of baseball.

Even if the contract was technically a minor league deal, it did not change the essence of what he wanted.

He could play.

That alone was enough.

This mindset resonated strongly with players and fans in the United States.

Many saw his decision as proof that he had not come to America for financial gain, but purely for the love of the game and the desire to compete.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Opening a Path, Crossing the Ocean: The True Story of Shohei Ohtani, p.46