Career Timeline of Shohei Ohtani: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Shohei Ohtani, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball player currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He excels as both a designated hitter and a pitcher, a rare two-way talent. He previously played for the Los Angeles Angels in MLB and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Ohtani's exceptional performance in both roles has led to his prime seasons being considered among the best in baseball history, drawing comparisons to Babe Ruth.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

October 21, 2012: Announced MLB Pursuit

On October 21, 2012, Shohei Ohtani announced his intention to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB) after high school, garnering interest from several teams. Later, he signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters with an agreement to move to MLB after some years.

2012: Selected to Japan's national under-18 team

In 2012, Ohtani was selected to Japan's national under-18 team that eventually finished in sixth place at the 2012 U-18 Baseball World Cup in Seoul.

2012: First Pick in NPB Draft

In 2012, Shohei Ohtani was the first pick of the Fighters in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft, marking an early recognition of his elite two-way abilities as a baseball player.

2012: 99 mph Fastball

In 2012, Shohei Ohtani, as an 18-year-old high school pitcher, threw a 99 mph fastball, setting a Japanese high school baseball record at the time. He threw the pitch in the Japanese national high school baseball championship tournament, commonly called Summer Koshien.

March 29, 2013: Fighters' Debut

On March 29, 2013, Shohei Ohtani made his debut for the Fighters at age 18 in their season-opening game, playing as a right fielder.

2013: Debut with the Fighters

In 2013, Shohei Ohtani began his career with the Fighters, playing as both a pitcher and an outfielder, which demonstrated his versatility as a two-way player.

July 2014: Fastest Pitch Record

During the July 2014 All-Star Game, Shohei Ohtani threw a 101 mph fastball, setting a new record for the fastest official pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher. The jersey he wore during the game was sold for 1.75 million yen in a charity auction, with the proceeds going to Tohoku earthquake children's relief funds.

2015: 2015 Season

2015 marked Shohei Ohtani's third professional season, where he earned the starter role in the All-Star Game and the pitching spot in the Pacific League Best Nine awards. He finished the season with a 15-5 record and a 2.24 ERA, leading the PL in ERA.

2015: WBSC Baseball Player of the Year

In 2015, Ohtani earned a bronze medal with the Japanese national team. He was named to the Premier12 All-World Team and was named the 2015 WBSC Baseball Player of the Year.

2016: Ohtani injures his ankle during Japan Series.

In 2016, Ohtani suffered an ankle injury during the Japan Series. This injury would later cost him an opportunity to play in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

2016: 2016 Season

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani had a dominant season, hitting 22 home runs and maintaining an ERA of 1.86. He won the Best Nine award as both a designated hitter and a pitcher and won the Pacific League MVP. He also set a new NPB record, hitting 102.5 mph.

2016: Led Nippon Ham to the 2016 Japan Series

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani led Nippon Ham to the Japan Series, where he contributed significantly both as a pitcher and a hitter, helping his team secure their second Japan Series title.

2016: Won Japan Series with Fighters

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani won the Japan Series with the Fighters, marking a significant achievement in his career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

November 21, 2017: MLB and NPB reach posting agreement for Ohtani

On November 21, 2017, Major League Baseball (MLB) and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) reached a posting agreement for Shohei Ohtani, allowing him to be posted at the end of the season to play in MLB.

December 9, 2017: Ohtani signs with Los Angeles Angels

On December 9, 2017, Shohei Ohtani officially signed a deal with the Los Angeles Angels to play in Major League Baseball.

2017: Posted to MLB

After the 2017 season, the Fighters posted Shohei Ohtani to Major League Baseball (MLB), paving the way for his move to the United States to play professional baseball.

2017: CAA Sports Representation

In 2017, Ohtani has been represented by agent Nez Balelo of CAA Sports since 2017, shortly after announcing his plans to pursue an MLB career.

2018: AL Rookie of the Year Award

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award after signing with the Angels, solidifying his position as a promising talent in Major League Baseball (MLB).

May 7, 2019: Ohtani returns to the Angels after Tommy John surgery

On May 7, 2019, Shohei Ohtani played his first game with the Angels since undergoing Tommy John surgery. He batted as a designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.

November 16, 2021: Joins FTX as a Global Ambassador

On November 16, 2021, Ohtani joined cryptocurrency exchange FTX as a global ambassador, partnering on various animal charitable initiatives.

2021: Ohtani selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher

In 2021, Ohtani became the first player to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher. He also hit his 32nd home run of the year on July 7, surpassing Hideki Matsui's record for most home runs in a season by a Japanese-born player in MLB.

2021: Endorsement earnings in 2021

In 2021, Ohtani endorsement earnings were an MLB league-leading $6 million.

2021: AL Most Valuable Player Award

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani had a statistically unprecedented two-way season, hitting 46 home runs and striking out 156 batters, which led to him winning his first American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) and also the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award.

March 22, 2022: MLB Introduces the "Ohtani Rule"

On March 22, 2022, Major League Baseball introduced a new rule colloquially dubbed the "Ohtani rule" which allows a pitcher in the batting order to remain in the game as a designated hitter after they are pulled from the pitching mound.

July 6, 2022: Ohtani Makes MLB History Against the Miami Marlins

On July 6, 2022, Shohei Ohtani made MLB history against the Miami Marlins by becoming the first player since RBI became an official statistic in 1920 to record 10 strikeouts as a pitcher, two RBIs as a batter, and a stolen base all in a single game.

August 9, 2022: Ohtani Achieves Historical Feats Against the Oakland Athletics

On August 9, 2022, Shohei Ohtani achieved three historical feats in a game against the Oakland Athletics. He joined Babe Ruth in the 10-homer, 10-win club, moved up on the all-time home run list for Japanese-born players, and set a single-season career high in strikeouts.

2022: Brand Ambassador and Cover Athlete

In 2022, Ohtani became a brand ambassador for Kowa, Mitsubishi Bank, Japan Airlines, Salesforce, Porsche Japan and Fanatics. Ohtani was the first Asian player to be a cover athlete of MLB The Show in 2022.

2022: Endorsement earnings in 2022

In 2022, Ohtani endorsement earnings were an MLB league-leading $20 million.

2022: Qualified for Hitting and Pitching Leaderboards

In 2022, Shohei Ohtani became the first player in the modern era to qualify for both the hitting and pitching leaderboards in a single season, while finishing third in the AL with 219 strikeouts.

2022: Ohtani's 2022 Season Performance

Shohei Ohtani finished his 2022 season with a 15–9 record, a 2.33 ERA, and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings. He also hit .273/.356/.519 with 34 homers, 30 doubles, 11 stolen bases, and 95 RBIs in 157 games.

June 15, 2023: Ohtani Wins AL Player of the Week and Pitches Against Texas Rangers

On June 15, 2023, Ohtani started as pitcher and won against the Texas Rangers. From June 12 to 18, 2023, Ohtani was named AL Player of the Week after hitting six home runs, going .435 (10-for-23), 12 RBIs, 10 walks and a 1.893 OPS over seven games.

July 2, 2023: Ohtani Wins Sixth Career AL Player of the Week

On July 2, 2023, Ohtani won his sixth career AL Player of the Week award, surpassing Suzuki for the most by a Japanese-born player. From June 26 to July 2, 2023, he hit six home runs with a 1.783 OPS over a seven-day span, including a career-long 493-foot home run, which was the longest homer in the 2023 MLB season.

August 2023: First pitching appearance since August 2023

On June 16, Ohtani made his first pitching appearance as a Dodger, and first since August 2023, pitching one inning while allowing one run on two hits.

December 11, 2023: Ohtani Signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 11, 2023, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the largest contract in professional sports history at the time.

2023: Ohtani's Hitting Stats in 2023

In 135 games as a hitter in 2023, Ohtani batted .304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs, 95 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Ohtani ended the 2023 regular season as the first Japanese-born player to lead a U.S. major league in home runs, capturing the American League title with 44 home runs.

2023: New brand deals in 2023

In 2023, Ohtani added two new deals with New Balance and Japanese cosmetics company Kosé.

2023: Endorsement earnings in 2023

In 2023, Ohtani endorsement earnings were estimated to be an MLB league-leading $35–40 million.

2023: World Baseball Classic MVP

In 2023, Ohtani played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic and was named the Pool B MVP for his hitting and pitching performances. He earned the save in the championship game after pitching the final inning of Japan's win over the U.S., striking out Mike Trout. Ohtani won the tournament's MVP award after batting .435/.606/.739 as a hitter and posting a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 9+2⁄3 innings as a pitcher.

2023: Ohtani Earns Spot on 2023 All-Star Roster

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani earned an automatic spot on the 2023 All-Star roster after being the leading vote-getter in the American League All-Star ballot during Phase 1 of fan voting, receiving 2,646,307 votes as the starter in the DH position. He was also elected as an All-Star pitcher for the American League, making it the third straight year Ohtani was named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a DH.

2023: Second AL MVP Award

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani won his second American League (AL) MVP award, leading the AL with 44 home runs while also recording 10 wins as a pitcher. He became the first player to win multiple unanimous MVPs and the first Japanese-born player to win a league home run title.

2023: All-WBC team selection at two positions

In 2023, after helping Japan clinch its third WBC title, Ohtani became the only player to be named to the All-WBC team at two separate positions, as both a DH and a pitcher.

2023: Ohtani Wins MVP and Other Awards in 2023

In 2023, for the second time in his career, Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in MLB history to win MVP by unanimous vote twice. He was also named to the 2023 All-MLB Team, becoming the first player to ever be named to both first teams in the same season (as a designated hitter and starting pitcher respectively).

2023: Ohtani's Opening Day Start and Strikeout Record in 2023

In 2023, fresh off being named the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ohtani made his second straight Opening Day start for the Angels while batting third in the lineup against the Athletics on March 30. On May 10, he struck out Jeremy Peña of the Astros for his 502nd career pitching strikeout, passing Babe Ruth on the all-time strikeout list.

2023: Angels Sign Ohtani to a One-Year Deal

On October 1, 2022, the Angels avoided arbitration with Shohei Ohtani for the 2023 season, signing him to a one-year deal worth $30 million.

2024: Signed with Dodgers

After the 2023 season, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, which was the largest contract in professional sports history at the time. Unable to pitch in 2024 due to an elbow injury, Ohtani played as a designated hitter (DH) for the Dodgers. He also achieved the milestone of being the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, and he was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP. He also won the 2024 World Series.

2024: National League MVP Award

After the 2024 season, Shohei Ohtani won the National League Most Valuable Player award unanimously. It was his third career unanimous MVP award, second consecutive unanimous MVP award, and his first in the National League. With this distinction, he became the first player in Major League Baseball history to win three MVP awards unanimously, two consecutive unanimous MVP awards, and unanimous MVP awards in both the American and National leagues. Additionally, he became the second player after Frank Robinson to win MVP awards in both leagues.

2024: Ohtani's Debut with the Dodgers in 2024

In 2024, Ohtani debuted with the Dodgers as the designated hitter on March 20 against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, as part of the MLB Seoul Series.

2024: Ohtani to Miss Pitching in 2024

On August 23, 2023, it was revealed that Ohtani would not pitch for the rest of the 2023 season and the 2024 season after suffering a ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow.