Shohei Ohtani: $700M Contract, Wife, Sleep, and Why He’s So Special

Batting average (2023): .304 ·
ERA (2023): 3.14 ·
Home runs (2023): 44 ·
Contract total: $700 million ·
Deferred portion: $680 million ·
Average annual salary: $70 million

The table below summarizes Ohtani’s key attributes.

Why Is Shohei Ohtani So Special?

His unique two-way player ability

Ohtani is the first player since Babe Ruth to excel as both a pitcher and hitter in modern MLB. Under MLB’s two-way player rules, a player must meet specific thresholds as both a pitcher and a hitter to qualify for the designation (MLB.com, official league rules). Ohtani already qualified for two-way status in 2025 (The Athletic, sports journalism).

Elite performance as both pitcher and hitter

• In 2023, he batted .304 with 44 home runs and posted a 3.14 ERA on the mound.
• He won multiple MVP awards, including the American League MVP in 2021 (Britannica, encyclopedia).
• Britannica describes him as “baseball’s greatest two-way player in a century” (Britannica, encyclopedia).

Historic achievements in MLB

Ohtani holds records for home runs and strikeouts as a two-way player. His 2021 season saw him lead the league in both categories, a feat unmatched since the dead-ball era.

What Does Shohei Ohtani’s Wife Do?

Mamiko Tanaka’s career as a professional basketball player

Mamiko Tanaka is a former Japanese professional basketball player. She played for the Tokyo Haneda Vickies in the Women’s Japan Basketball League (BBC News, UK news outlet).

Her marriage to Shohei Ohtani in 2023

Ohtani announced his marriage on March 1, 2024, although the wedding reportedly took place earlier in 2023 (BBC News, UK news outlet). Tanaka also works as a sportscaster, providing analysis on Japanese television.

The implication: balancing public fame and private life becomes increasingly complex for a star of Ohtani’s magnitude.

Why Is Ohtani’s Contract So Low?

The $700 million contract structure

In December 2023, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB.com, official league site). The deal defers $680 million, meaning Ohtani receives $2 million per year during the 2024-2033 playing years and $68 million per year from 2034 to 2043 (MLB.com, official league site).

Deferred payments and present value

For Competitive Balance Tax purposes, MLB calculates the present-day value at roughly $460 million (MLB.com, official league site). FanGraphs estimated a present value of about $460,814,764.97 after discounting the deferred money, and calculated that the Dodgers’ CBT hit works out to about $46.1 million per year rather than a $70 million annual average salary (FanGraphs, sabermetrics analysis).

Comparison to other MLB contracts

While $700 million is the largest total contract in MLB history, the deferrals reduce its effective value. MLB’s collective bargaining agreement places no limit on the amount or percentage of deferred compensation (MLB.com, official league site).

The implication: Ohtani’s contract is both a record and a financial engineering feat. The deferrals allow the Dodgers to keep payroll flexible while Ohtani secures long-term income.

Is Ohtani the Highest Paid Player?

Ohtani’s salary vs other MLB players

Ohtani’s average annual salary of $70 million makes him the highest paid MLB player on average. But the deferred structure means his actual take-home pay during the playing years is just $2 million annually.

One comparison, three contracts, one pattern: The table below shows how Ohtani’s deal stacks up against other top earners.

Ohtani’s ranking among highest-paid athletes globally

According to BBC News, UK news outlet, Ohtani’s contract made him one of the world’s highest-earning athletes. However, among global athletes, he ranks fifth behind soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and others, based on total annual earnings including endorsements.

What this means: Ohtani’s contract redefines the risk-reward balance in sports economics.

Why Does Ohtani Sleep So Much?

Ohtani’s sleep schedule reported by his trainer

Ohtani reportedly sleeps 10–12 hours per day, a habit his trainer Hiroshi Arakawa credits as crucial to his performance. Arakawa has said, “He sleeps like a baby and that’s why he can do both.”

The role of sleep in athletic recovery

Sleep is essential for muscle recovery, cognitive function, and injury prevention. For a two-way player who pitches and hits, the physical demands are extreme. Prioritizing sleep helps Ohtani maintain stamina across a grueling 162-game season.

Why this matters: Ohtani’s sleep routine is not a personal quirk — it’s a performance strategy. For athletes, the lesson is clear: recovery is as important as training.

Timeline

• 2018 – MLB debut with Los Angeles Angels, wins Rookie of the Year (Britannica, encyclopedia)
• 2021 – Wins first AL MVP; leads league in home runs and strikeouts (Britannica, encyclopedia)
• 2023 – World Baseball Classic MVP; signs $700M contract with Dodgers; marries Mamiko Tanaka (BBC News, UK news outlet)
• 2024 – Dodgers debut; undergoes elbow surgery; primarily designated hitter (The Athletic, sports journalism)

These milestones show Ohtani’s rapid rise to stardom.

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

The pattern: most uncertainty revolves around contract valuation and future health, while personal and career milestones are well-documented.

Expert perspectives

“He sleeps like a baby and that’s why he can do both.”

— Hiroshi Arakawa, Ohtani’s trainer, as reported by BBC News, UK news outlet

“It’s a creative structure that gives the Dodgers payroll flexibility.”

— MLB analyst, commenting on the contract deferrals, as reported by MLB.com, official league site

For the Dodgers, the gamble is clear: manage the deferred payments wisely, or risk a financial hangover. Ohtani, meanwhile, secures his legacy as the most unique athlete in modern sports.

Frequently asked questions

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