LOS ANGELES – Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani confirmed on Dec 9 that he is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in a record-shattering 10-year, US$700 million (S$939 million) deal – the richest contract in the history of North American sport.

After weeks of frenzied speculation over where the 29-year-old Los Angeles Angels two-way ace would land in free agency, he announced on Instagram that he had opted for his former club’s crosstown Major League Baseball (MLB) rivals.

The Toronto Blue Jays were one of the teams who aggressively pursued Ohtani. The San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs were also reportedly interested.

“To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologise for taking so long to come to a decision,” he wrote on Instagram. “I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team.

“Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.”

His agent Nez Balelo said in a statement the deal would be worth US$700 million over 10 years, a historic figure that smashed the previous record baseball contract, as well as bettering the largest deals ever agreed in the National Football League and National Basketball Association.

Last week, golfer Jon Rahm signed a reported US$300 million deal over three years with LIV Golf. Earlier in 2023, football star Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami for US$150 million over 2½ years, according to the Miami Herald.

Balelo described Ohtani’s mammoth payday as a “unique historic contract, for a unique historic player”.

The previous largest contract awarded in baseball was the 12-year, US$426.5 million extension handed to Ohtani’s Angels teammate Mike Trout in 2019.

Until Ohtani’s deal, the largest contract in any sport in North America belonged to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who agreed a 10-year, US$450 million extension in 2020.

Mahomes was among several US sports stars to react to news of Ohtani’s gargantuan payday. “Bro like what!... Congrats to him,” the NFL star wrote on social media.

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA star Donovan Mitchell chimed in: “US$700 million is crazy!! And he deserves every penny of that too.”

Ohtani has taken MLB by storm since landing in the league in 2018, with his almost unheard of combination of elite pitching and hitting prowess earning him comparisons to Babe Ruth.

Although his talents were not enough to help spark a revival in the Angels’ fortunes – the team failed to make the play-offs following his arrival – Ohtani nevertheless dazzled in a flagging franchise.

He was twice named the American League’s (AL) Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2023, on both occasions winning by unanimous vote – the only player in history to achieve that distinction.

Although elbow injuries have cut short his pitching appearances – he missed the final month of the 2023 campaign with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow – this season was his most successful to date.

As a designated hitter, he led the AL in home runs with 44, in on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.654) and total bases (325).

He hit 26 doubles and eight triples with 20 stolen bases and 95 runs-batted-in. He hit over .300 for the first time in his six-year major league career.

In 23 pitching starts, he went 10-5 with a 3.14 earned-run-average and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. He had the lowest batting average against (.184) among all AL pitchers with at least 130 innings.

It marked Ohtani’s second straight season with at least 10 wins on the mound and 10 home runs at the plate.

The only other player to accomplish that feat was New York Yankees legend Ruth back in 1918.

Although revered as a dual threat, Ohtani will not pitch in 2024 to help his arm recover but will still be able to hit.

Even though he will be absent from the mound next season, his offensive talents and future pitching potential proved irresistible to the Dodgers.

Ohtani’s departure from the Angels had become inevitable as the franchise struggled for relevance during the Japanese star’s six seasons there.

In that time, the Angels failed to reach the post-season or even register a winning season.

But while Ohtani was frustrated in his pursuit of success with the Angels, he was the driving force behind Japan’s victory in the World Baseball Classic in March.

He helped close out their fairy-tale 3-2 victory over the United States in the final of the showpiece in Miami, striking out Angels teammate and US captain Trout to clinch his country’s third WBC victory, following triumphs in 2006 and 2009.

As well as being a standout on the field, Ohtani has also been a one-man commercial juggernaut off the field. He reportedly made a one-season MLB record US$65 million in salary and endorsements this season, making him the highest-paid player in baseball.

He also had the best-selling jersey of any MLB player this season – the first time a Japanese player topped the list. AFP, REUTERS

BIGGEST CONTRACTS IN SPORT

Shohei Ohtani (baseball), Japan, US$700 million over 10 years, US$70 million a year

Cristiano Ronaldo (football), Portugal, US$536 million over 2½ years, US$214.5 million a year

Patrick Mahomes (American football), United States, US$450 million over 10 years, US$45 million a year

Karim Benzema (football), France, US$436 million over 2 years, US$214.5 million a year

Mike Trout (baseball), United States, US$426 million over 12 years, US$30.4 million a year

Canelo Alvarez (boxing), Mexico, US$365 million over 5 years, US$73 million a year

Mookie Betts (baseball), United States, US$365 million over 12 years, US$30.4 million a year

Aaron Judge (baseball), United States, US$360 million over 9 years, US$40 million a year

Manny Machado (baseball), United States, US$350 million over 11 years, US$31.8 million a year

Francisco Lindor (baseball), Puerto Rico, US$341 million over 10 years, US$34.1 million a year

Source: CBS