Los Angeles Dodgers fans don't have to sit on the panic button. If Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter sells his stake in the team, superstar Shohei Ohtani is considered unlikely to opt out of his contract, according to The Athletic. Why is this relevant?
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in Dec. 2023, but the deal included $680 million deferred, with Ohtani's average annual value on the team's payroll being just $2 million. Another wrinkle is that Ohtani was given a "key man" clause in the deal, allowing him to opt out of the contract if Walter sold the team or Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman was no longer in his position.
Speculation on Ohtani's future in Los Angeles comes after Walter sold the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers for a reported $12.5 billion earlier this week after buying a majority stake in the franchise in Oct. 2025 for roughly $10 billion. Walter is under federal investigation for potential loan fraud.
Through 112 games this season (513 plate appearances), Ohtani has totaled 27 home runs, 74 RBIs, a National League-high 157 OPS+ and 3.4 wins above replacement, while boasting a .292/.391/.544 slash line. Ohtani ranks in the 97th percentile of MLB in average exit velocity (93.4 mph), the 96th percentile in barrel percentage (16.7%) and the 95th percentile in hard-hit percentage (52.4%), according to Statcast. As a starting pitcher, the two-way superstar has recorded a 1.79 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP and a 231 ERA+, while totaling 95 strikeouts and three wins above replacement across 85 ⅔ innings pitched (14 starts).
That said, he hasn't pitched since July 3 due to a knee injury. Ohtani has won NL MVP honors in each of his two complete seasons with the Dodgers (2024-25) and figures to be a finalist for the award again this year. Los Angeles stands atop the NL West at 73-49 and is two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the NL.
