The Angels won Ohtani's services over competition from the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners.
Ohtani was put up for bid by the Pacific League's Hippon Ham Fighters for the maximum $20 million posting fee. He had until Dec. 22 to agree to a major league deal.
The Angels had $2.315 million of international bonus pool money to spend toward Ohtani's offer.
Ohtani, who throws right-handed and bats left-handed, plans to be both a pitcher and an outfielder with the Angels. He went 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA in five seasons as a pitcher in Japan, and batted .286 with 48 homers and a .500 slugging percentage.
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The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants both announced that they agreed to deals to acquire Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton but the National League MVP declined to waive his no-trade clause.
The Cardinals and Giants both targeted Stanton from the time that new Marlins ownership -- led by Derek Jeter -- made it known they wanted to move Stanton to help slash payroll. There is a guaranteed $295 million remaining on Stanton's contract.
The announcements came on the same day that news leaked that the New York Yankees are among Stanton's preferred choices. He also likes the idea of playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Giants and the Cardinals were originally viewed as co-favorites to land Stanton.
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The Detroit Tigers agreed to terms with right-hander pitcher Mike Fiers.
The deal is for one year and $6 million, according to reports.
Fiers, 32, pitched in 29 games, including a team-high 28 starts, in 2017 for the Houston Astros with an 8-10 record, a 5.22 ERA and 146 strikeouts over 153 1/3 innings.