Baseball's $700 million man: Why Shohei Ohtani is worth it

Shohei Ohtani’s free agency inspired wild-eyed dreams of a contract worth at least a half-billion dollars. Turns out that was way too low. Ohtani agreed to the biggest contract in sports history Saturday, a 10-year, $700 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers, befitting his unprecedented status as the greatest two-way player of all time. (Although an elbow injury will prevent him from pitching until 2025). 

How did the Dodgers arrive at that number? USA TODAY Sports examines what makes Ohtani so valuable on the field – even before providing off-field marketing upside to his team:

MLB's biggest contract ever: A look at how Shohei Ohtani's contract compares to other superstars

Is Ohtani's contract the largest in the world?

Probably. His $700 million contract is larger than the previous mark - Lionel Messi's five-year, $674 million deal with Barcelona. Yet both deals have their vagaries. Messi's likely includes an unspecified sum tied to marketing, licensing and likeness fees. Meanwhile, Ohtani's contract contains a significant amount of deferred money, blunting the current-day value. 

But with that said, it's relatively safe to say it's a record for a global athlete. 

What will Ohtani mean to the Dodgers?

Immediately, he'll bat in between fellow former MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and serve as designated hitter. Come 2025, he should be sufficiently recovered to join their pitching rotation - starting every seven days, and likely entering that year as their top starter.