The Dodgers will hold a press conference on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET/3 PT at Dodger Stadium to introduce new two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, whom the team has signed to a historic 10-year, $700 million contract. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman will also attend.
Fans will be able to watch a livestream of the press conference on MLB.com, Dodgers.com, MLB.TV and MLB Network as well as on MLB’s official social media channels.
Ohtani’s signing marked the conclusion of perhaps the most highly anticipated free agency in baseball history, one that featured breathless speculation amid airtight negotiations that offered little clue to the baseball world about the superstar’s desires. With their large payroll and consistent winning track record, the Dodgers seemed like Ohtani’s most likely destination all along, and the process culminated in what is believed to be the largest contract in sports history worldwide.
Although Ohtani won’t be available to pitch in 2024 as he recovers from October surgery to repair his right UCL, he’ll slot in nicely as the Dodgers’ designated hitter next season, joining National League Most Valuable Player runners-up Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman atop the lineup. Ohtani is coming off his best season at the plate, in which he led the AL in homers (44) and OBP (.412) while leading MLB in slugging (.654) and WAR (10.0, per Baseball Reference).
