Blue Jays miss out as Shohei Ohtani agrees to historic 10-year, $700M US contract with Dodgers

The news that Shohei Ohtani has chosen to stay in Southern California has left Toronto Blue Jays fans heartbroken.

The prospect of landing a generational talent had stirred excitement in Toronto, but the pursuit ended in disappointment for the Blue Jays faithful when Ohtani agreed to a record $700 million US, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

"I mean $700 million is a pretty astronomical number but [I am] a little heartbroken it wasn't with the Jays, but I think he's going to do well with the Dodgers," said Jays fan Nic Solari.

The Dodgers were the early favourites to land Ohtani, but some analysts had Toronto emerging as a strong contender after the Japanese star reportedly visited the Blue Jays' spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla.

The unique two-way superstar had played the previous six seasons with the crosstown rival Angels and was the unanimous choice as American League MVP last season.

Ohtani's agent Nez Balelo called the player's deal with the Dodgers "a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player."

Ohtani's total was 64 per cent higher than baseball's previous record, a $426.5 million, 12-year deal for Angels outfielder Mike Trout that began in 2019.

His $70 million average salary is 62 per cent above the previous high of $43,333,333, shared by pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander with deals they struck when signing with the New York Mets. Ohtani's average salary nearly doubles the roughly $42.3 million he earned with the Angels. It also exceeds the entire payrolls of Baltimore and Oakland this year.

His agreement includes unprecedented deferred money that will lower the amount it counts toward the Dodgers' luxury tax payroll, a person familiar with the agreement