Earlier today, the Los Angeles Angles and Shohei Ohtani agreed on a one-year $30 million contract. This means Ohtani avoids arbitration and will be a free agent after the 2023 season. This would be the biggest one-year contract for a player eligible for arbitration.

What is Arbitration in Baseball?

Arbitration is when a player and their team have not agreed on a salary. The player and team would then exchange wanted salaries for the upcoming season based on the players’ performance. If an agreement can not be reached the case is brought to arbitrators who would decide the player’s salary for the next season. The majority of players and teams come to an agreement weeks before to avoid arbitration.

Shohei Ohtani(s) Career on the Angles

In 2017, Shohei was an international free agent and had seven teams that wanted him to play for them. These teams consisted of the Dodgers, Cubs, Padres, Rangers, Giants, Mariners, and the Angles. However, chose to play for the Angels. In 2018, Ohtani made his MLB debut as the Angels designated hitter, and three days after made his pitching debut earning his first win as a pitcher. He had six strikeouts and allowed three runs in the 7-4 win against the Oakland Athletics. In that same year, he had Tommy John surgery which kept him off the mound until the 2020 season. He remained as the Angels designated hitter after getting the surgery. His return in 2020 didn’t go the way everyone thought it would. During his first start on the mound post-Tommy John surgery, he faced six batters and allowed three singles, three walks and five runs. He went to have one more start that season. With those two starts, he ended with a 37.80 ERA. As a batter, he went 18 for 104. After, he went on to have his unanimous MVP run in 2021. This year he is having his best season as an MLB player to date. As a pitcher, he is 15-8 and has struck out 213 batters. Ohtani continues to make MLB history as a dominant two-way player.

Is the Contract Good For the Angles Long Term?

Before this contract, he was making $5.5 million as a two-way superstar. This contract is good for the Angels’ short term. He will remain on the Angels and prove himself throughout the year. The Angels’ reoccurring problem is their pitching. Instead of getting a huge contract for his contribution on both sides of the field, Ohtani accepting only $30 million as a two-way player and will help the Angels save some money in order to get pitching this offseason.

Follow us on Twitter!

Subscribe to our Newsletter!