The baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani made his first appearance as an official Los Angeles Dodgers player on Thursday. But the story of him signing the massive $700 million deal for 10 years has more nuances than one can imagine. Well, somehow, the Los Angeles Lakers legend played a part in making this happen for the Japanese star. 

Back when the conventional wisdom was otherwise, Ohtani’s presence in MLB necessitated some changes. Though something delayed the Dodgers signing the two-way phenom by over half a decade, Kobe Bryant made it happen. That’s the power of the legend. 

The Birth of the ‘Ohtani – Rule’ Amid Kobe Bryant’s Affirmative Words

The tale dates back to a year ago when a tentative agreement was reached between Major League Baseball and the players’ union. This was regarding some changes in rules for the ensuing season. The notable change permits a starting pitcher who bats for himself to continue serving as the designated hitter even if substituted for by a relief pitcher. That brought the inception of what is now known as the ‘Ohtani Rule’. 

The absence of this rule in the NL could not accommodate Shotime’s desire to hit and pitch in the Dodgers. But today, its implementation has paid off. Not only for the Ace but also for the Blue Crew. After all, even the evergreen NBA legend affirmed that the Los Angeles Dodgers were the ideal place to be.

A video of Bryant, filmed in 2017, spread the message that that there’s no better place to win in Los Angeles. More precisely, at the Dodger Stadium. Reports say that the video was a favor to the Dodgers in an attempt to get Ohtani in Dodger blue. However, things took a turn in favor of their cross town rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. Cut to six years later (present), when Ohtani met with the team this month, the Blue Crew played it for him.

This had a lasting effect for the Japanese star, though he never had a chance to meet the late superstar. So much so, that Ohtani said, “That was one of the highlights of the whole meeting. I was really surprised to see it. It was a strong and touching message“, to the Fox News.

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The Juxtaposition of Two of the Best Players in the World of Sports

The 18-time All-Star and the harbinger of five NBA championships with the Lakers will forever be intertwined with Los Angeles and its victories. The basketball icon’s era from 1996 to 2016 has left a monumental impact on the winning tendency of the city across sports. As a proof, baseball, now that Ohtani is a part of the club. 

One can’t put a finger on whether it was Bryant’s video or the unique nature of his contract clauses. The Oshu-born did not flinch while singing the deal with the NL team. Late Kobe Bryant, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020, when Ohtani was still in Japan playing with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Little did one know that the two names would come adjacent to each other at such a crucial juncture in baseball, years later. 

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