Ohtani’s deal with LA Angels becomes official, Fighters believe he will shock world
>> TOKYO: The Nippon Ham Fighters said yesterday they have been notified by Major League Baseball that Shohei Ohtani’s contract with the Los Angeles Angels has officially taken effect.
The Sapporo-based Fighters, where Ohtani spent the first five years of his professional career, posted the 23-year-old pitcher and slugger on Dec 1 and will receive a US$20 million posting fee from the Angels for their negotiating rights.
According to Fighters general manager Hiroshi Yoshimura, the fee will be paid in installments, and once the first sum is confirmed, Nippon Ham will start the paperwork to release the player from his contract.
“I express my sincere gratitude [to Ohtani] for his huge contribution, including our first Japan Series championship in 10 years last year,” Fighters president Kenso Takeda said. “I believe he’ll be taking on a challenge as a two-way player again in the major leagues. I’m sure he’ll become a one-of-a-kind player that will shock the world by changing the way they see the game of baseball,” he said.
Over his five-year career with the Pacific League club, Ohtani went 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA in 85 games on the mound, and hit .286 with 48 homers and 166 RBIs in 403 games at the plate.
Ohtani, who drew interest from 27 of 30 major league clubs, had 21 days to sign with a team but picked the Angels only seven days after he was posted.
Meanwhile, t he Los Angeles Angels have also acquired veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, the teams announced.
The Angels landed Kinsler in exchange for two minor league players. The move comes just days after the Angels signed Ohtani.
Los Angeles also added reliever Jim Johnson in a trade with the Atlanta Braves last month.
Kinsler, 35, will be a free agent at the end of the 2018 season. A fourtime All Star, he has spent the last four seasons with Detroit.
Last season, Kinsler batted a careerworst .236. He also hit 22 homers and 52 RBIs in 139 games.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract with reliever Anthony Swarzak.
Swarzak bolstered Milwaukee’s bullpen down the stretch last season and finished with a 6-4 mark with two saves, a 2.33 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 70 relief appearances with the Chicago White Sox and Brewers.
Swarzak spent the first five seasons of his major league career with the Minnesota Twins before pitching with the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. He owns a 23-30 career mark with a 4.22 ERA in 287 appearances.