A whopping Japanese males ranked highest in ‘athlete image’ study, with $700 million Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers at the top

The world has taken notice of Shohei Ohtani’s phenomenal 2023, which culminated in his earning a $700 million contract. Ohtani won’t be able to pitch until 2025, but that won’t stop the Los Angeles Dodgers from expecting great things from the Japanese two-way sensation next season.

According to a recent study by advertising behemoth Hakuhodo DY Media Partners Inc., which measured “overall athlete image,” Ohtani ranked first among male Japanese athletes. The results from 2023 and their expectations for 2024 were considered in this online survey.

The enormity of Ohtani’s new contract and his stellar 2023 season make him the clear frontrunner in both poll categories. In terms of me𝚗’s performances in 2023, Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo and Brighton FC’s Kaoru Mitoma came in second and third, respectively.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will soon be a star in Major League Baseball, came in third, while Kubu came in second, according to expectations. Speculation has said that the deal might be worth $300 million, but Yamamoto has not yet committed to a Major League Baseball team.

Among Japanese female athletes, Hina Hayata topped the 2023 rankings for table tennis while Rikako Ikee topped the 2024 rankings for swimming. The 2024 Paris Olympics will likely feature Ikee’s performance, who has made a full recovery from leukemia.

In 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers will put pressure on Shohei Ohtani.

Everyone is expecting a superstar performance from a sports player if they accept a massive contract. Certainly, that is the case with Shohei Ohtani, whose record-setting $700 million agreement transcends all sports.

As much as Dodgers fans are hoping—nay, expecting—that Ohtani can lead their 2024 World Series run, their opponents will be hoping that the pressure is too much.

With Ohtani’s performance with the Los Angeles Angels, he should be able to live up to his expectations with the Dodgers if he maintains his current level of play. In the past three years, Ohtani’s pitching and batting have earned him two AL MVP awards. He has made 86 starts for the team, going 481.2 innings with 608 strikeouts and a 3.01 ERA.

It gets more complicated because Ohtani is still healing from elbow surgery and won’t be able to pitch until 2024. Even though he is healing well, some worry that he won’t be the same pitcher in 2025—but reports dispel that.