History of Shohei Ohtani in Timeline

Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, excelling as both a designated hitter and pitcher. Known as "Shotime," he previously played for the Los Angeles Angels in MLB and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). His exceptional two-way abilities have led to comparisons with Babe Ruth and are considered among the greatest in baseball history.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1950: Junzo Sekine's Pitching and Osamu Takechi's start

In 1950, Junzo Sekine was the rookie hurler to bat 3rd, 4th, or 5th and Osamu Takechi started a game as a pitcher.

1951: Kikuo Tokunaga's Debut

In 1951, Kikuo Tokunaga was the other Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB) rookie drafted out of high school the previous year to be used as both a pitcher and position player.

1963: Takao Kajimoto's Pitching

In 1963, Takao Kajimoto was the NPB pitcher before Ohtani to bat 3rd, 4th, or 5th.

1967: Toshiaki Moriyasu's Shutout Victory

In 1967, Toshiaki Moriyasu recorded a 1-0 shutout victory within his first two years for the Fighters.

April 26, 1970: Luis Tiant's Feat

On April 26, 1970, Luis Tiant, playing for the Minnesota Twins, threw a scoreless top half and recorded a hit, an RBI, a stolen base, and a scored run in an AL ballpark, a feat matched by Shohei Ohtani in 2021.

July 5, 1994: Shohei Ohtani born

On July 5, 1994, Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese professional baseball player, was born. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a designated hitter and pitcher.

Others born on this day/year

2001: Daisuke Matsuzaka's Salary Milestone

In 2001, Daisuke Matsuzaka was the first player out of high school in NPB history to reach 100M yen in salary in his third year.

2006: Ohtani breaks 40-40 record

In 2006, Shohei Ohtani broke Alfonso Soriano's record of 21 games to join the 40-40 club, accomplishing the feat in his 126th game of the season.

2010: Yoshinori Sato's Record

In 2010, Yoshinori Sato of the Yakult Swallows set a record with a 100 mph pitch.

October 21, 2012: Announced MLB Pursuit

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

2012: 99 mph Fastball

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

2012: U-18 Baseball World Cup

In 2012, Shohei Ohtani was selected to Japan's national under-18 team which 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 NPB draft, recognized as an elite two-way player early in his career.

March 29, 2013: Fighters Debut

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

2013: Mizuhara becomes Ohtani's Interpreter

In 2013, Ippei Mizuhara became Shohei Ohtani's personal interpreter starting during Ohtani's days with the Fighters.

2013: Joined the Fighters

In 2013, Ohtani began playing for the Fighters as both a pitcher and an outfielder.

July 2014: Fastest Pitch by a Japanese Pitcher

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

2015: Dominant Performance in Premier 12

In 2015, Ohtani was dominant for the Japanese national team in the Premier 12, hitting 100 mph and leading in strikeouts. He was named the All-Star SP for the event.

2015: Third Professional Season

In 2015, Ohtani's third professional season, his performance earned him the starter role in the All-Star Game and the pitching spot in the Pacific League Best Nine awards. He finished with a 15–5 record, a 2.24 ERA, and 196 strikeouts.

2015: WBSC Baseball Player of the Year

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

2016: Dominant Pitching and Hitting Season

In 2016, Ohtani hit 22 home runs with a .322 average and a 1.86 ERA as a pitcher. He also won the Best Nine award as a pitcher and designated hitter, along with the Pacific League MVP. In one game, he hit 102.5 mph.

2016: Japan Series Performance

In 2016, Ohtani led Nippon Ham to the Japan Series. He batted .375/.412/.625 with four doubles, contributing more on offense than on the mound.

2016: Best Nine and League MVP

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

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, which allowed him to be posted at the end of the season to play in MLB in 2018.

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

On December 9, 2017, Shohei Ohtani officially signed his deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

2017: Posted to MLB

After the 2017 season, the Fighters posted Ohtani to MLB.

2017: Withdrawal from World Baseball Classic

In 2017, Shohei Ohtani was on Japan's 28-man roster for the World Baseball Classic but had to withdraw due to an ankle injury.

2017: CAA Sports representation

Since 2017, Shohei Ohtani has been represented by agent Nez Balelo of CAA Sports.

July 7, 2018: Ohtani sets single game record

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

2018: Fastball Record Surpassed

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

2018: Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia

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

2018: AL Rookie of the Year

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

May 7, 2019: Ohtani's Return to Angels After Tommy John Surgery

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

2019: Injury Plagued Season

In 2019, Ohtani experienced an injury-plagued season.

July 24, 2020: Ohtani as First Automatic Player on Second Base

On July 24, 2020, due to new MLB rules implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shohei Ohtani became the first-ever automatic player on second base at the start of the 10th inning in a game against the Oakland Athletics; he was subsequently thrown out in a rundown.

2020: Another Injury Plagued Season

2020 was another season plagued with injuries for Ohtani.

November 16, 2021: Joined FTX as global ambassador

On November 16, 2021, Shohei Ohtani joined cryptocurrency exchange FTX as a global ambassador.

2021: Ranked Sprint Speed

For the 2021 season, Shohei Ohtani's 28.8 feet per second sprint speed ranked in the 92nd percentile of all players, as did his 3.51 second 80-foot split and he also 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: Ohtani Ties AL/NL Record for Walks in a 4-Game Span

From September 22 to 25, 2021, Shohei Ohtani drew 13 walks in a 4-game span, tying an AL/NL record set by Babe Ruth, Bryce Harper, and Yasmani Grandal. His 11 walks in a three-game span also tied the MLB record set by Harper.

2021: Ohtani Selected as All-Star as Both Position Player and Pitcher

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani became the first player ever to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher. He participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby and was the starting pitcher and leadoff designated hitter for the American League in the All-Star Game.

2021: Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award

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

2021: Ohtani Voted American League Most Valuable Player

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the first pitcher and designated hitter to win the award. He also won several other awards including the Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, the Silver Slugger Award, and was named to Time 100's list of most influential people of 2021.

2021: AL MVP Award

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani won his first AL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) after hitting 46 home runs and striking out 156 batters, marking a statistically unprecedented two-way season. He also received the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award.

2021: MLB leading endorsement earnings

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani's endorsement earnings were MLB league-leading $6 million.

2021: Ohtani's 2021 Season Recognized with Guinness World Records

Shohei Ohtani's 2021 season was recognized with two Guinness World Records titles and the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award. He was also offered Japan's national honor, the People's Honor Award, which he rejected. In December 2021, his season was ranked No.1 in "The 50 greatest seasons in sports history, ranked" by The Sporting News.

March 22, 2022: Introduction of the "Ohtani rule"

On March 22, 2022, Major League Baseball introduced a new rule, colloquially known as the "Ohtani rule," allowing a pitcher in the batting order to remain as a designated hitter after being removed 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, 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 historic feats against Oakland Athletics

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

November 2022: FTX files for bankruptcy

In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy.

2022: Qualified for Hitting and Pitching Leaderboards

In 2022, 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.

2022: Ohtani avoids arbitration with Angels

In 2022, Shohei Ohtani avoided arbitration with the Angels by signing a one-year deal worth $30 million for the 2023 season.

2022: Brand ambassador

In 2022, Shohei Ohtani became a brand ambassador for Kowa, Mitsubishi Bank, Japan Airlines, Salesforce, Porsche Japan as part of their 'Porsche Driving Athlete' family and Fanatics and was the first Asian player to be a cover athlete of MLB The Show.

2022: MLB leading endorsement earnings

In 2022, Shohei Ohtani's endorsement earnings were MLB league-leading $20 million.

2022: Ohtani's exceptional 2022 season

Shohei Ohtani finished his 2022 season with a 15-9 record, a 2.33 ERA, 219 strikeouts, and a .273 batting average, 34 home runs, and 95 RBIs. He also received multiple awards and recognitions, including being named the Los Angeles Angels Player and Pitcher of the Year.

April 2023: Filed for dismissal from FTX lawsuit

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

June 15, 2023: Ohtani named AL Player of the Week

Shohei Ohtani was named AL Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career after a stellar performance from June 12 to 18, 2023, including a win as starting pitcher on June 15, 2023, against the Texas Rangers.

July 2, 2023: Ohtani Wins AL Player of the Week and Month

On July 2, 2023, Shohei Ohtani won his sixth career AL Player of the Week award and his third career American League Player of the Month for June. His performance in June was considered the best June in MLB history.

August 2023: Last pitching appearance

August 2023 marks the last time Shohei Ohtani pitched prior to his appearance as a Dodger on June 16.

September 19, 2023: Ohtani undergoes elbow surgery

On September 19, 2023, Shohei Ohtani underwent elbow surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache to address the UCL tear in his right elbow.

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, marking the largest contract in professional sports history at the time.

2023: Second AL MVP Award and Dodgers Contract

In 2023, Ohtani won his second AL MVP, leading the league with 44 home runs and recording 10 wins as a pitcher. Following the season, he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.

2023: World Baseball Classic MVP

In 2023, Ohtani won the MVP Award at the World Baseball Classic following Japan's victory over the United States, securing a 3–2 win by striking out Mike Trout.

2023: New endorsement deals

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

2023: All-WBC team selection

In 2023, Shohei 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: MLB leading endorsement earnings

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

February 2024: Ohtani announces marriage

In February 2024, Shohei Ohtani announced that he had married but declined to disclose his wife's identity.

March 2024: Mizuhara Gambling Investigation

In March 2024, an ESPN investigation uncovered $4.5 million in wire payments from Shohei Ohtani's bank account to a Southern California bookmaking operation, leading to the firing of Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, and allegations of 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.

December 29, 2024: Pregnancy Announcement

On December 29, 2024, Shohei Ohtani announced on Instagram that he and his wife were expecting their first child.

2024: Ohtani Wins National League MVP

After the 2024 season, Shohei Ohtani won the National League Most Valuable Player award unanimously, making him the first player in MLB history to win three MVP awards unanimously, two consecutive unanimous MVP awards, and unanimous MVP awards in both the American and National leagues. On December 23, 2024, Ohtani won his third AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for the second-most wins in history.

2024: First Player in MLB History

In 2024, Ohtani, playing as a DH for the Dodgers due to an elbow injury, became the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season and was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP. He also won the 2024 World Series in his first MLB postseason appearance.

February 2025: Mizuhara Sentencing

In February 2025, Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to repay Shohei Ohtani $17 million along with a 57-month prison sentence.

April 17, 2025: Return to Los Angeles for baby's arrival

On April 17, 2025, Shohei Ohtani returned to Los Angeles during a Dodgers road trip in anticipation of the baby’s arrival.

May 2025: Ohtani Named NL Player of the Month

In May 2025, Shohei Ohtani tied the Dodgers record for home runs in a month with 15 and was named the NL Player of the Month after a .309/.398/.782 slash line and 15 home runs.