The inside story of Shohei Ohtani’s lucrative baseball deal

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Shohei Ohtani signed a $700m, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023 – the biggest deal in baseball history – but how was this historic and “rollercoaster ride” of a deal completed? Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, explains how it was a move that was a long time in the making and the unusual surroundings he found himself in when he found out it had been completed. With fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto joining Ohtani at the Dodgers, Friedman also tells Sportshour’s Adam Samuel about the impact of international talent on Major League Baseball and how the club want to “turn Japan Dodger blue”. Image: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers swings the bat during workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 14, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)