Shohei Ohtani's contract that he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in Dec. 2023 could have been even longer than the 10-year pact that he agreed to. According to Nez Balelo, Ohtani's agent,

Shohei Ohtani could have pursued a 15-year contract through the age 44, but his agent says he didn't want to risk a decline in his skills while under the deal.

Nez Balelo says the two-way superstar, who ultimately signed a 10-year, $700 million deal, didn’t want to risk a decline in his skills while under a deal that would have paid him through age 44.