Illustration by Forbes; Photos by Christian Petersen/Getty Images, Caitlin O'Hara/MLB Photos/Getty Images, Brennan Asplen/Getty Images
The Dodgers secured the two most-coveted free agents in baseball this winter, first convincing two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani to remain in Southern California with a—the largest contract by total value in team sports history. Two weeks after signing the 29-year-old two-time MVP, the Dodgers acquired another Japanese star: 25-year-old pitching ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto for $325 million over 12 years.
Not that Ohtani will be tightening his belt this year—he still earns an estimated $60 million annually from endorsements and other off-field endeavors. Baseball’s biggest star has solidified himself as a marketing sensation on both sides of the Pacific, with a portfolio that includes Japanese brands Seiko Watch, Kosé, DIP and Nishikawa. and American companies such as Fanatics, Salesforce and New Balance, which unveiled a signature logo for Ohtani last week.