The Los Angeles Angels and two-way player Shohei Ohtani agreed on a two-year, $8.5 million contract on Monday, a deal that provided both sides with cost certainty for two of Ohtani’s three remaining arbitration years.
Ohtani and the Angels exchanged arbitration figures in the middle of January and the midway point was $2.9 million. The agreement, which avoids the need for a hearing, will pay Ohtani $3 million for his first arbitration year in 2021 and $5.5 million for his second in 2022; the pitcher and designated hitter from Japan will be arbitration-eligible again in 2023 before being scheduled for free agency.
Ohtani, 26, was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2018, providing a .925 OPS in 367 plate appearances and a 3.31 ERA in 51⅔ innings. He spent the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery but batted .286/.343/.505 as the Angels’ primary DH.
He struggled during the shortened 2020 season, batting .190/.291/.366 in 175 plate appearances and recording only five outs in his first two starts before being diagnosed with a forearm strain.
The Angels have been pleased with Ohtani’s offseason work and have stated that he will resume a two-way role in 2021, starting once a week and DHing on most of the days in between.