The Los Angeles Dodgers landed one of the most sought-after stars in MLB Free Agency history. The Dodgers landed Shohei Ohtani after the superstar and Los Angeles agreed on a historically lucrative contract. The team has hopes to win big, but it also wants to increase its brand awareness and fanship in Japan.

Shohei Ohtani's impact on the Dodgers goes beyond winning 

Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman gave his thoughts on how LA and Ohtani can work together for a common goal:

“One of our goals is for baseball fans in Japan to convert to Dodger Blue,” Friedman said, per Sam Blum. Ohtani is one of the best players in both MLB and Japanese history. Surely, his star power will catch the eyes of fans across the globe.

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Some analysts doubt Ohtani's future impact after his elbow injury in 2023. However, his talent was too great for the Dodgers to pass up. While his pitching ability may have suffered, Ohtani's offensive prowess is nothing to be played with.

In 2023, the 29-year-old batted an average of .304, hit 44 home runs, had 95 RBI, and boasted an OPS of 1.066 (ranked 1st in the MLB). Ohtani creates a show all by himself. Yet, adding him to a team with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman will increase LA's viewership even more.

Thus, it is completely plausible for Los Angeles to gain more Japanese fans. If the Dodgers can sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then LA's Japanese viewership will go further through the roof. Fans across the world are anxious to see Ohanti play in a Dodgers uniform.