Ohtani discusses Dodgers, elbow surgery, dog's name at introductory press conference

Shohei Ohtani officially joined the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, putting on the storied franchise's historic uniform for the first time at a press conference rammed with media members.

The two-way sensation, who signed a 10-year contract reportedly worth $700 million - with $680 million in deferred funds - discussed a number of topics, including why he chose the Dodgers, his elbow surgery, and the mysterious name of his dog.

The decision to pick the Dodgers

Ohtani had a number of suitors in free agency, and, while he was unwilling to discuss his negotiations with certain teams to avoid tampering with their remaining offseason plans, the 29-year-old said he made the tough decision to choose the Dodgers for many reasons, with one standing out.

"They share the same passion with me, a vision and history about winning," Ohtani said, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.

He followed by saying that he was impressed with a statement made by the organization's front office, who told him it wasn't pleased with 10 division titles in the past 11 seasons because the franchise only had one World Series championship to show for it.

The Dodgers won the World Series during the shortened 2020 campaign but have been unable to advance past the NLCS the last three seasons despite winning 100 or more games in each of them.

Leaving the Angels

Ohtani thanked the Los Angeles Angels for six memorable seasons, during which time he made three All-Star Game appearances and won two AL MVPs.

"It was a fun ride, a great ride," he said of the team who first signed him to an MLB contract in 2017.

The Angels were in the running for Ohtani until the very end, his agent Nez Balelo said, according to The Athletic's Sam Blum. Balelo said they went back to the Halos at the end of the process because they wanted to give them every opportunity to re-sign Ohtani, but he declined to say if money made the difference in his decision not to return.

Angels owner Arte Moreno wouldn't match the 10-year, $700-million commitment from the Dodgers, according to sources of the Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris.

The elbow surgery on his throwing arm

After it was revealed that he tore his UCL for the second time in the last five years, Ohtani announced in September that he underwent elbow surgery that would prevent him from pitching in 2024, but he wouldn't disclose the type of procedure.

The new Dodger remained cryptic on Thursday, referring media members to his doctor for a clear answer, while disclosing the operation was different than the first time he had elbow surgery.

Ohtani will hit as a full-time designated hitter next season and is expected to return to pitching in 2025.

What is his dog's name?

Ohtani's pup became a viral sensation when he accepted his 2023 MVP with the loyal hound by his side, but intrigue surrounding the pooch continued to swirl when the Japanese player wouldn't disclose his name.

The question on everyone's mind was finally answered Thursday.