History of Shohei Ohtani in Timeline

Shohei Ohtani is a celebrated Japanese professional baseball player, currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, renowned for his exceptional skills as both a hitter and a pitcher. Prior to joining the Dodgers, he played for the Los Angeles Angels and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Ohtani's rare two-way abilities have led to comparisons with Babe Ruth, with some considering his prime seasons to be among the greatest in baseball history. His nickname is "Shotime".

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1950: Junzo Sekine Batted

In 1950, Junzo Sekine became the first rookie hurler to bat 3rd, 4th, or 5th since Shohei Ohtani.

1951: Kikuo Tokunaga Used as Pitcher/Position Player

In 1951, Kikuo Tokunaga became the first Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB) rookie drafted out of high school to be used as both a pitcher and position player, a feat that Shohei Ohtani would later accomplish.

1963: Takao Kajimoto Batted

In 1963, Takao Kajimoto became the first NPB pitcher to bat 3rd, 4th, or 5th since Shohei Ohtani.

1967: Toshiaki Moriyasu's Shutout

In 1967, Toshiaki Moriyasu became the first pitcher out of high school to record a 1-0 shutout victory within his first two years for the Fighters since Shohei Ohtani.

July 5, 1994: Shohei Ohtani Born

On July 5, 1994, Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese professional baseball player known for his two-way capabilities as a designated hitter and pitcher, was born.

Others born on this day/year

2001: Matsuzaka's Salary Record

In December, Shohei Ohtani became the second player out of high school in NPB history to reach 100M yen in salary in his third year, after Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2001.

2006: Fastest to 40-40 Club

In 2006, Alfonso Soriano set the record for the fastest player to join the 40-40 club. Ohtani beat Alfonso Soriano's 2006 record by 21 games.

2010: Previous Record for Fastest Pitch

In 2010, Yoshinori Sato of the Yakult Swallows set the previous record for the fastest official pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher at 100 mph before Shohei Ohtani broke the record in July 2014.

October 21, 2012: Announced MLB Intentions

On October 21, 2012, Shohei Ohtani announced his intention to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB) rather than turn professional in Japan.

2012: U-18 Baseball World Cup

In 2012, Ohtani was selected to Japan's Under-18 National Team, which finished sixth at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in Seoul.

2012: Threw a 99 mph Fastball

In 2012, Shohei Ohtani threw a 99 mph fastball as an 18-year-old high school pitcher, setting a Japanese high school baseball record at the time, during the Japanese national high school baseball championship tournament.

2012: First Pick in NPB Draft

In 2012, Shohei Ohtani was the first pick of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft, recognized early as an elite two-way player.

March 29, 2013: Fighters' Debut

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

2013: Relationship with Ippei Mizuhara

Beginning in 2013 during Ohtani's days with the Fighters, Ippei Mizuhara became Ohtani's personal interpreter, forming a close relationship that extended beyond translation.

2013: Played for Fighters

Shohei Ohtani played for the Fighters in 2013 as a pitcher and an outfielder.

July 2014: Fastest Pitch by Japanese Pitcher

In July 2014, Shohei Ohtani threw a 101 mph fastball during the All-Star Game, setting a new record for the fastest official pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher.

2015: Dominant pitching season

In 2015, Ohtani had a dominant pitching season earning him the starter role in the All-Star Game and a spot in the Pacific League Best Nine awards.

2015: WBSC Premier12 Tournament and Awards

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

2015: Premier 12 All-Star

Shohei Ohtani was named the All-Star SP for the 2015 Premier 12, demonstrating his dominance for the Japanese national team.

2016: Dominant Two-Way Season

In 2016, Ohtani had a dominant two-way season, hitting 22 home runs and achieving a career-low ERA of 1.86 as a pitcher. He was named Pacific League MVP and won the Best Nine award as both a pitcher and designated hitter (DH).

2016: Japan Series Title

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani led Nippon Ham to the Japan Series, contributing both as a pitcher and hitter, ultimately helping them secure their second Japan Series title.

2016: PL MVP Award

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani was the runaway winner of the Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award and made the Best Nine as the top pitcher and top DH in the PL. He became the first player to receive the awards as both a pitcher and a hitter.

November 21, 2017: MLB and NPB Posting Agreement

On November 21, 2017, MLB and NPB reached a posting agreement that would allow Ohtani to potentially play in Major League Baseball.

December 9, 2017: Ohtani Signs with the Los Angeles Angels

On December 9, 2017, Shohei Ohtani officially signed a deal to play for the Los Angeles Angels.

2017: Fighters Posted Ohtani to MLB

After the 2017 season, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters posted Shohei Ohtani to Major League Baseball (MLB).

2017: Representation by Nez Balelo

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

2017: Withdrawal from World Baseball Classic

In 2017, Ohtani was named to the Japan National Baseball Team for the World Baseball Classic but had to withdraw due to an ankle injury.

July 7, 2018: Dodgers Records

On July 7, 2018, Ohtani became the 16th player in MLB history to reach 10 or more RBI in a single game, the first since July 7, 2018.

2018: Fastball Record Surpassed

In 2018, Rōki Sasaki surpassed Shohei Ohtani's 2012 fastball record with a 101 mph fastball.

2018: AL Rookie of the Year

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award after signing with the Los Angeles Angels.

2018: Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia

Ohtani was listed in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia class of 2018 in the field of Entertainment & Sports.

May 7, 2019: First Game After Tommy John Surgery

On May 7, 2019, Shohei Ohtani played in his first game for the Angels since undergoing Tommy John surgery, serving as the designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.

2019: Injury-Plagued Season

In 2019, Shohei Ohtani experienced an injury-plagued season.

July 24, 2020: First Automatic Player on Second Base

On July 24, 2020, Shohei Ohtani became the first ever automatic player on second base in an official MLB game, due to new MLB rules implemented during the 2020 season, in a game against the Oakland Athletics.

July 26, 2020: Ohtani Returns to Pitching Mound

On July 26, 2020, Shohei Ohtani made his first pitching appearance since September 2018 against the Oakland Athletics. He struggled, allowing five runs and being removed without recording an out.

2020: Injury-Plagued Season

In 2020, Shohei Ohtani experienced another injury-plagued season.

July 7, 2021: Most Home Runs in a Season by a Japanese-Born Player

On July 7, 2021, Shohei Ohtani hit his 32nd home run of the year, surpassing Hideki Matsui's 2004 record for the most home runs in a season by a Japanese-born player in MLB.

July 12, 2021: Participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby

Shohei Ohtani participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby on July 12. He lost to Juan Soto in the first round but set a record for the most home runs in the Derby of at least 500 feet with six.

November 16, 2021: FTX Global Ambassador

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

2021: Baserunning Skills and Stolen Bases

For the 2021 season, Ohtani's sprint speed ranked in the 92nd percentile of all players, and he recorded the fastest home to first average sprint time in the Majors at 4.09 seconds, while recording a then career-high 26 stolen bases.

2021: Time 100 and Commissioner's Award

In 2021, Ohtani was named to Time 100's list of most influential people and awarded the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award.

2021: Endorsement Earnings

In 2021, Ohtani's endorsement earnings were $6 million, leading the MLB.

2021: AL MVP Award

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani hit 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters, winning his first AL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) and receiving the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award for his statistically unprecedented two-way season.

2021: Named American League MVP

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP). He also received numerous other awards and accolades for his outstanding performance throughout the year.

2021: Recognized with Guinness World Records

Shohei Ohtani's 2021 season earned him two Guinness World Records titles, recognizing his unique achievements as both a dominant pitcher and hitter. The accomplishments were so impactful that he was offered Japan's national honor, the People's Honour Award, but Ohtani rejected it, saying it was "still too early" for such an award. His 2021 season was ranked No.1 in the article “The 50 greatest seasons in sports history, ranked” by The Sporting News.

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

On March 22, 2022, Major League Baseball introduced a new rule that allows a pitcher in the batting order to remain in the game as a designated hitter after being pulled from the mound, called the "Ohtani rule".

August 9, 2022: Ohtani Achieves Three Historical Feats

On August 9, 2022, Shohei Ohtani joined Babe Ruth in the 10-homer, 10-win club, surpassed Ichiro Suzuki on the all-time home run list for Japanese-born players, and set a single-season career high in strikeouts.

November 2022: FTX Bankruptcy

In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, leading to a lawsuit against Ohtani and other spokespeople for promoting unregistered securities.

2022: Brand Ambassador Roles

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

2022: Endorsement Earnings

In 2022, Ohtani's endorsement earnings were $20 million, tripling from the previous year.

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 one season, finishing third in the AL with 219 strikeouts.

April 2023: Dismissal Request from FTX Lawsuit

In April 2023, Ohtani's lawyers filed for his dismissal from the FTX lawsuit.

December 11, 2023: Ohtani Signs Historic Contract with the Dodgers

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

2023: All-WBC Team Selection

Following Team Japan's WBC title in 2023, Ohtani was the only player named to the All-WBC team at two positions: designated hitter and pitcher.

2023: New Endorsement Deals

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

2023: World Baseball Classic MVP

In 2023, Ohtani played for the Japan National Baseball Team in the World Baseball Classic. He was named the Pool B MVP and earned the save in the championship game against the US, leading Japan to victory and winning the tournament's MVP award.

2023: Ohtani signs a one-year deal with the Angels

In 2023, Ohtani signed a one-year deal worth $30 million with the Angels, setting a record for a player in his third year of arbitration.

2023: Estimated Endorsement Earnings

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

2023: Ohtani Voted American League MVP

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player for the second time, becoming the first player in MLB history to win MVP by unanimous vote twice. He was also named to the 2023 All-MLB Team and won multiple other awards, including his third straight Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

2023: Second AL MVP Award

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

February 2024: Marriage Announcement

In February 2024, Ohtani announced his marriage, initially keeping his wife's identity private before revealing her as Mamiko Tanaka the following month.

March 2024: Gambling Scandal Uncovered

In March 2024, an ESPN investigation revealed $4.5 million in wire payments from Ohtani's account to a bookmaking operation, leading to the firing of his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, and a statement from Ohtani's law firm about a "massive theft".

May 9, 2024: Scripted Series Announced

On May 9, 2024, Lionsgate Television announced the development of a scripted series based on the interpreter gambling scandal.

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December 29, 2024: Pregnancy Announcement

On December 29, 2024, Ohtani announced on Instagram that he and Mamiko Tanaka were expecting their first child.

2024: Signed with the Dodgers

After the 2023 season, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played as a DH for the Dodgers in 2024 while recovering from an elbow injury and was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP. He won the 2024 World Series in his first MLB postseason appearance.

2024: National League MVP Award

After the 2024 season, Ohtani won the National League Most Valuable Player award unanimously, marking his third career unanimous MVP award, second consecutive unanimous MVP award, and his first in the National League in 2024.

February 2025: Mizuhara Sentencing

In February 2025, Mizuhara was sentenced to repay Ohtani $17 million and serve a 57-month prison sentence.

April 19, 2025: Birth of First Child

On April 19, 2025, Ohtani announced on Instagram that he and Tanaka had welcomed their first child, a daughter.

Others born on this day/year

2025: Estimated Endorsements

By 2025, Ohtani's estimated endorsements had risen to $100 million for the year.

2025: Second Season with Dodgers and Walk-Off Home Run

In 2025, Ohtani started his second year with the Dodgers in Tokyo, hitting his first home run of the season. On April 2, 2025, he hit his second career walk-off home run against the Atlanta Braves.