His new home stadium is only about 30 miles# north of where he currently plays with the Los## Angeles Angels, but that small move is coming# with a big paycheck.

Ohtani's record-breaking## $700 million 10-year contract recognizes# his value as a unique baseball talent,## the likes of which we haven't seen in generations.

Stephanie Sy looks at the Ohtani phenomenon,## his massive contract, and what# it could mean for baseball.

STEPHANIE SY: Shohei Ohtani's contract is# the highest in pro North America.

Ohtani blew by# a recent record set by Kansas## City Chiefs quarterback Patrick# Mahomes by a good $250 million.

The 29-year-old from Japan dominates in# both pitching and hitting.

He was the## league's most valuable player this past season.

I'm joined now by Joe Posnanski,# a sportswriter who's on Substa under JoeBlogs and author# of "Why We Love Baseball."

So, Joe, how great is Ohtani?

Is he baseball's# GOAT, the best player the sport's ever seen?

JOE POSNANSKI, Sportswriter: Well,## it's But what I think you can definitely say about# him is, nobody h unlike anybody.

We have never seen a player# who both is a dominant hitter and a dominant## pitcher at the same time.

It has happened in the# past.

Babe Ruth started his career as a pitcher.

But by the time he hit, he had left# pitching behind.

To see what Shohei## Ohtani has done the last three# years has been just remarkable.

STEPHANIE SY: Ohtani said in his announcement# that until the last day of his playing career,## he wants to strive forward, not only for# the Dodgers, but for the baseball world.

Why is Ohtani and this deal so good for baseball?

JOE POSNANSKI: Well, I think it's# because he's so good for baseball.

I mean, you hear in that statement# what makes him so is that he's not just playing for himself.# He's not just playing for his team.

He's## not just playing for today.

He's playing# to be one of the great players who ever## lived.

And it's a part of who he is.

It's# why he decided to try to hit and pitch.

It hasn't been done.

It simply has not been# done.

It's been something that has driven him## to be not only a great player, but one# of the greatest and one of the players## who pushes baseball forward.

And, obviously,# it's so good for the sport.

And it's exciting## for the sport to have him with sort of a# marquee team like the Los Angeles Dodgers.

STEPHANIE SY: Yes.

And I want# to get to that team in a second.

But you can't be the greatest, right, wit Ohtani has never even made it to the# playoffs.

The Dodgers have made it## to the playoffs every year for more than# a decade.

Is that what's in it for him?

JOE POSNANSKI: It certainly is a# big part of what's in it for him.

He -- you're right.

I don't think# you can be conside ever if you haven't played in the World# Series and thrived in the World Series,## done some amazing things in the World# Series.

It's just sort of a part of baseball.

And it wasn't happening in Anaheim, in Los# Angeles for the Angels.

He needed, I think,## to go to a team where he could succeed.

And,# like you say, the Dodgers have not only made the## playoffs.

They have won 100 games, I believe, five# or six times in the last few years.

Every year,## they're a dominant team.

That's got to be very# exciting for him.

And it's exciting for us.

STEPHANIE SY: So between Ohtani,# Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman,## this trio is going to generate a lot of# excitement.

But that's a of pressure to win the World Series.

Is# there any doubt they can handle that?

JOE POSNANSKI: I don't think there's# any doubt they can handle the pressure,## because all of them -- certainly, Mookie Bett Also, what's really fun about the Dodgers,# at least from an outsider's perspective,## is, they face this pressure every# single year.

There's no year where## it's good enough even just to win 100 games,## just to make the playoffs.

The intense pressure# is on them And they haven't really done that.

They# have won one World Series, this group,## and that was back in 2020 during# the COVID year.

So it's a little## bit of a different kind of season.# So that pressure is always there.

STEPHANIE SY: Well, I want to talk# a little bit about this contract,## but also the fact that Shohei Ohtani has# had two surg and I believe has another surgery going# in, and he won't be pitching next year.

He will be hitting, but not pitching.# Ninety percent -- 97 percent of the## actual payout in that contract basically# is deferred until he's like 40 years old,## about ready to retire.

First of all, that's# legal?

And doesn't that give the Dodgers## another advantage to keep paying high salaries# to the other great players in the organization?

JOE POSNANSKI: Yes, I think that had# to be a big, big part of it for Ohtani.

It doesn't feel legal to me, honestly.

I mean,## it's a $700 million contract that doesn't really# begin until 2034. very strange thing, and it's kind of hard# to even get your arms around what it means.

But for the Dodgers, it does mean that# they can go out, get more pitching,## which is what they need right now.# And as far as Ohtani and the injuries,## that had to be a huge part of the decision# process, because you're right.

I mean,## as we -- as far as we know, he's not going# to pitch this year.

We don't really know## exactly what the surgery has been and where# his elbow is from a health perspective.

You would think the Dodgers have a much# better perspective on that than any of## us do.

But the thing that's so amazing# about Shohei Ohtani is how driven he is,# how driven he is to get better, how driven he# is to, as we say, be a part of baseball history.

So I'm sure what the Dodgers are betting on# is that kind of commitment from Shohei Ohtani.

STEPHANIE SY: Joe Posnanski, author of# "Why We Love Baseball," great to have you.

JOE POSNANSKI: Great to be here.