Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels agreed on $30 million contract for the 2023 season.
The deal marks the largest salary ever for an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing Mookie Betts' $27 million for the 2020 season (which was reduced due to the pandemic-shortened season).
His $24.5 million raise is also the largest ever from one year to the next. Ohtani's 2022 salary was $5.5 million. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 29, 2022, in Anaheim, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images) Ohtani has more than lived up to the expectations that were set for him when he first joined the major leagues in 2018.
Dubbed the "Japanese Babe Ruth" when he came over, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year with a .285 average and .925 OPS while pitching to a 3.31 ERA and striking out 11.0 batters per nine innings.