Shohei Ohtani to be introduced at Dodger Stadium on Thursday

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers will officially introduce Shohei Ohtani at a news conference on Thursday.

The two-time AL MVP agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract last weekend, a deal that the team announced Monday and provides that 97% of the money be deferred without interest and not fully paid until 2043.

“The World Series is the goal going in,” reliever Joe Kelly said Wednesday.

Ohtani will be introduced during a news conference in Dodger Stadium's Centerfield Plaza starting 3 p.m. PST. MLB reported Wednesday that Ohtani broke Fanatics' record for the highest jersey sales within the first 48 hours of a release, topping soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He was out of sight at the stadium on Wednesday, meeting with teammates, including seven-time All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts and Kelly.

“I had a chance to talk to him,” Kelly said, surrounded by kids attending an outdoor holiday party with music blaring. “He was already working out, already grinding, getting bigger and stronger. His arm looked good to me.”

Ohtani last spoke with reporters on Aug. 9, two weeks before a pitching injury that required surgery and will keep him off a mound until 2025. He had the operation on Sept. 19, but the nature of the surgery was not fully announced. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018.

A unique two-way star as both a hitter and pitcher, the 29-year-old left the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent after six years.

Kelly is switching uniform numbers after finalizing his $8 million, one-year contract with the team on Monday, opening No. 17 for Ohtani, who thanked him for the gesture.

“I wasn't going to give it up to just anybody,” Kelly said. “If Shohei keeps performing, he'll be a future Hall of Famer and I'll be able to have my number retired. That's the closest I'll get to the Hall of Fame.”

Asked what Ohtani was giving him in return, Kelly said, “Oh, there's a list, but no comment.”

Ohtani spoke infrequently to the media during his years in Anaheim, leaving his teammates to be peppered with questions about the enigmatic superstar.

Kelly said he was prepared to entertain Ohtani questions “maybe once a week.”

Ohtani’s move from Anaheim to Hollywood has sent fans on both sides of the Pacific Ocean flocking to buy Dodgers merchandise and inquire about tickets on the secondary market. The team has yet to begin single-game ticket sales for next season.

“It's going to be sold-out every game,” Kelly said. “Every game that we’re a part of is going to be like a playoff atmosphere.”

Ohtani will receive just $20 million of his contract over the next 10 years, with $680 million payable from 2034-43 in an unusual structure that gives the team greater payroll flexibility in coming seasons.

“I think all around it’s a good gig for both parties,” Kelly said. “The Dodgers are competitive every year and this is one of those things, he’s the highest paid player in all of sports, and we’re still going to be able to add to our team every single year he’s a Dodger.”

Ohtani's contract calls for annual salaries of $70 million, according to details obtained by The Associated Press. Of each year’s salary, $68 million is deferred with no interest, payable in equal installments each July 1 from 2034-43. The deal includes a full no-trade provision and provides for a hotel suite on road trips, a premium luxury suite for home games and a fulltime interpreter.

Ahead of his 30th birthday on July 5, Ohtani has a .274 average with 171 homers, 437 RBIs and 86 stolen bases along with a 39-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings. Ohtani has 34.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), per Baseball Reference.