The Los Angeles Dodgers struck gold on their number one priority in MLB Free Agency. The Dodgers agreed to a lucrative $700 million deal to land Shohei Ohtani in Los Angeles. There dissenting opinions on the contract, given it is a historically high number. However, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony believes the investment in Ohtani is worth it.

Ohtani's Dodgers value extends beyond the baseball field

Carmelo Anthony expressed his thoughts on Ohtani during a co-hosted episode of his podcast:

“The Dodgers' operation backbone is built off cable money…This is cable wars…This is streaming wars…He's worth it…I say you [are getting] the top two superstars in MLB at one time,” Anthony said via 7PM in Brooklyn, presented by Wave Sports+Entertainment.

In addition to the viewership value Shohei Ohtani brings, Anthony is happy that the baseball superstar's talent is paying off:

“You [are] getting the top pitcher and you [are] getting the top hitter. The hitter got $350 million, and the pitcher is getting $350 million. I ain't mad at it. Shout to Shohei, man. Wine and dinner is on you, champ. Let's talk, Shohei!,” Anthony hilariously exclaimed.

Ohtani is one of the best two-way superstars of the modern era. Yet, there are questions about his future pitching ability after he suffered an elbow injury during the 2023 season. Nevertheless, his offensive abilities are among the best.

In 2023, Ohtani batted an average of .304, hit 44 home runs, had 95 RBI, and boasted an OPS of 1.066 (ranked 1st in the MLB). Adding Ohtani's offensive prowess to an already-stacked Dodgers team means endless showtime in LA.