The biggest free agent of the 2023 offseason was Shohei Ohtani.

Although he had undergone right elbow surgery late in the 2023 season—making it certain that he would not be able to pitch for at least a year—his value remained overwhelming.

He had just won the home run title in 2023 and had already secured two MVP awards.

There was not a single team that didn’t want him.

From the beginning, it was widely expected that he would sign the most lucrative contract in sports history.

Not every team could afford such a deal, but in the end, the main contenders were his former team, the Angels, along with the Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Giants.

Among them, all but the Angels were reportedly prepared to offer a 10-year, $700 million contract.

Ultimately, Ohtani agreed to a deal with the Dodgers.

When asked whether he would have stayed with the Angels if they had matched that offer, he responded:

“I didn’t present any specific numbers from my side, so I can’t say for sure.

All I want is to do my best for the team I’m with and aim for a World Series championship.

That’s enough for me.”

Brandon Gomes, the Dodgers’ general manager, described Ohtani’s approach to his contract as “the ultimate selflessness and desire to win.”

And indeed, what Ohtani sought was not money—

but victory.

Source

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

SHO-TIME 3.0: Shohei Ohtani’s Championship Journey in a New Team, p.44