Ohtani mum on ‘procedure’
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani opened his first news conference with the Dodgers by dodging questions about whether he had a second Tommy John surgery.
“At the time of the announcement, we didn’t know which way we were going to go. That’s why I never said what type of procedure was going to be done,” Ohtani said Thursday at a news conference to discuss his record 10-year, $700 million deal.
It was Ohtani’s first time speaking with the media since Aug. 9, two weeks before a pitching injury that required surgery with Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Sept. 19 and will keep him off the mound until 2025. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery with ElAttrache on Oct. 1, 2018.
“I’m not obviously an expert in the medical field, but it was a procedure,” Ohtani said. “I’m not sure what it’s called, I know it was completely different from my first time, so I don’t know what you what to call it. You could probably talk to my doctor.”
Ohtani wore a navy suit with a white shirt and blue tie, took off the jacket and put on a Dodgers home jersey with No. 17 and then the blue cap with the interlocking L&A. He took off the cap before speaking.
“One thing that really stands out in my head,” he said, “when I had the meeting with the Dodgers, the ownership group, they said when they looked back at the last 10 years, even though they made the playoffs every single year, won one World Series ring, they considered that a failure. And when I heard that, I knew they were all about winning, and that’s exactly how I feel.”
Ohtani never reached the playoffs in six seasons with the Angels.
An electronic sign flashed “Welcome to the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani” in English and Japanese above the stage. Ohtani thanked controlling owner Mark Walter, team president Stan Kasten, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts.
“Shohei is arguably the most-talented player who has ever played this game,” Friedman said, flanked by Ohtani and Walter. “One of our goals is to have baseball fans in Japan convert to Dodger blue.”
A unique two-way star as both a hitter and pitcher, the 29-year-old Japanese sensation left the Angels as a free agent after six years.
The two-time AL MVP has a .274 batting average with 171 homers, 437 RBIs and 86 stolen bases along with a 39-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481
⅔ innings. Ohtani has 34.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Ohtani’s unusual contract calls for annual salaries of $70 million and of each year’s salary, $68 million is deferred with no interest, payable in equal installments each July 1 from 203443. It lowered the annual charge to the Dodgers’ luxury tax payroll to about $46 million.
“I figured if I can defer money, if that’s going to help the ... Dodgers to sign better players and make a better team, I felt like that was worth it,” he said.
Ohtani can opt out of the deal if either Walter or Friedman no longer is with the team.