Years Before Shohei Ohtani’s MLB Domination, Scott Boras Defended Two-Way Phenom Amidst MLB’s Strict NPB Plans

When one hears of the $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani signed, it becomes hard to imagine that he was paid not even 10% of that when he first arrived in 2017. Due to strict MLB rules and Ohtani’s early entry to the States, a small contract was all that he was eligible for. This was something that didn’t sit well with super agent Scott Boras. 

Besides getting his clients mega deals, Scott Boras is also known for his remarkable role in improving players’ rights. He did the same in 2017 when Ohtani first arrived. This is the story of how Boras took the side of Ohtani even after the two-way phenom chose another agent over him.

Shohei Ohtani deserves better – Scott Boras 

By the end of the 2017 season, Shohei Ohtani couldn’t wait any longer. He wanted to come to the States as soon as possible, and challenge his two-way skills on the biggest stage of baseball. This created a dilemma as at just 23, Ohtani was still two years younger than the eligible age to file for free agency. This posed a restriction because the slugger was limited to a minor league contract instead of a major league contract.

While Ohtani accepted this due to his fire for the sport, one man strongly objected to this rule. It was Scott Boras, the agent whom Ohtani rejected for Niz Balelo of Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Deeming the contract as unfair, Boras had some pretty strong words for the league. 

Boras said, “Ohtani is the greatest expression of the NPB and we need to honor that league’s contribution to the greatest league of all… If NPB players are ridiculed and taken advantage of—even with their consent—we have destroyed years of goodwill and respect the MLB once showed the NPB. This great league and its players—especially Ohtani—deserve better.” (via The Athletic)

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The superagent believed that MLB was taking advantage of Ohtani’s hunger for the major leagues. Though Boras’ words fell on deaf ears, they showed the inherent protectiveness that Boras has for players. On the other hand, Ohtani ended up signing a contract with the Angels in which his signing bonus was a mere $2.315 million. Luckily for Shotime, his star status was about to grow.

The unprecedented stardom of the two-way phenom

Even though baseball’s unicorn was being grossly underpaid, he was nonetheless among the highest-earning MLB players. On average, baseball players earn between $5 to $10 million per year in endorsements. Ohtani was earning more than $25 million due to his massive stardom.

So in overall terms, financially things worked out for Shohei Ohtani. However, this was not a story of finances but of beliefs. Scott Boras believed in players’ rights, even if it meant defending a player not attached to him. And so ended an interesting but a little unknown chapter in Ohtani’s illustrious career.

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