Shohei Ohtani Surges Up Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athletes Rankings
· Yahoo Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani increased his earnings and placement on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes.
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As they do every year, financial outlet Forbes released their well-researched list of the highest-paid athletes.
Ohtani, being the global superstar that he is, has massive earning power on and off the field, though he has only ranked in the top 10 since 2025, interestingly enough.
The numbers indicate that Ohtani’s profile, at least financially, has only grown since joining the Dodgers and having success in a major city like Los Angeles.
May 18, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) comes up to bat during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn ImagesIn 2025, Ohtani earned $102.5 million in total, with only $2.5 million from his salary. He chose to defer most of his contract money until after his playing career, reducing his salary cap hit and freeing up the Dodgers to sign players.
He chose to defer so much money not only because of his competitive hunger but also because of his sponsorship money, which gives him a good chunk of change to spend.
In 2026, while his on-field earnings are only $2.6 million, Ohtani has continued to increase his sponsorship income, bringing it to $125 million.
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His $125 million in off-field earnings is the most of any athlete on the list, showing the power of those international sponsorships.
Naturally, his on-field earnings are the lowest on the entire list.
What are Shohei Ohtani’s sponsors?
He is sponsored by JAL, Seiko, Kowa, Kosé, Hugo Boss, and Dip, and added probiotic firm Kirin to the list in December after the World Series.
Additionally, Ohtani has a major deal with New Balance, appearing in ads all over American television. In Japan, it must be an even higher volume, with his face and likeness slapped on every billboard and television.
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The Japanese two-way player features a portfolio that also includes Ito En, Beats, Epic Games, and Secom, with a skin in Fortnite, a huge game in the same field.
Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent, has said that while they want to ensure he has a wide range of sponsors, they don’t want him to become saturated.
“We have to make sure we don’t overexpose him,” Balelo said. “We have to make sure we don’t put him in a situation that is too heavy of a lift.”