The Los Angeles Dodgers formally introduced Shohei Ohtani at Dodger Stadium this past Thursday, with the press conference also featuring owner Mark Walter and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts were among the several members of the front office and organization on hand as well. The press conference represented the first time Ohtani spoke since signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.
Ohtani explained his decision to defer $680 million in his contract, establishing trust with and confidence in the Dodgers organization, sharing in the strong desire to win multiple World Series, and the two-way superstar revealed the name of his dog.
The day also included Ohtani taking promotional photos in a Dodgers uniform, some of which he posted on Instagram along with a first look at his locker inside the clubhouse.
“I’m still in the pinch-me phase, to be quite honest,” Roberts said after Ohtani’s press conference. “That day, I talked to Gomer and he said, ‘We got him.’ That was the first person that told me. So I’m still kind of being present and excited.
“I can’t believe we’re going to have an opportunity to have him wear a Dodger uniform. One of the most talented players to ever put on a baseball uniform is now a Dodger as far as we can see out. So I’m in that pinch-me phase.”
When will Shohei Ohtani pitch for Dodgers?
Ohtani indicated his right elbow surgery this year was not Tommy John but instead “completely different,” although he wasn’t certain of what the procedure was called.
The 29-year-old nevertheless won’t pitch for the Dodgers next season but is expected to start doing so in 2025.
