Shohei Ohtani signs record-breaking $700M contract with the LA Dodgers

The GIST: Turn off those tweet notifications and stop tracking that flight: Shohei Ohtani watch is officially over. Baseball’s biggest star has reportedly inked the biggest contract in North American pro sports history, announcing via Instagram on Saturday that he’s chosen the perennial playoff–contending LA Dodgers as his next team.

The details: While the Dodgers have yet to announce the deal themselves, Ohtani’s historic contract is reportedly for a record-setting $700M over 10 years. Perhaps the most coveted free agent of all time (regardless of sport), the Shohei sweepstakes rumor mill reached a fever pitch before Ohtani broke the news himself, writing “I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.” Mission accomplished.

The dollars and cents: It’s hard to fully comprehend Ohtani getting that truly jaw-dropping bag, but for some perspective, his deal is worth nearly as much as his new teammate Mookie Betts’ and NY Yankees slugger Aaron Judge’s deals combined — the third and fourth biggest baseball contracts, respectively.

• It also tops valuations for six NHL franchises, 23 MLS franchises, and, as Caroline Fitzgerald of GOALS Sports pointed out, the yearly payroll for every athlete in the WNBA, NWSL, Athletes Unlimited, WTA, LPGA, and PWHL…combined. Mind-numbing.

Zooming out: From his incredible success as a two-way star to his dedication to the game and unrelenting desire to win, we’ve truly never seen a baseball player like Shohei Ohtani. How lucky are we to bear witness as history unfolds.