Ohtani gifts $150K Derby check to team staff

July 17th, 2021

ANAHEIM -- Two-way superstar has been making history on the field this season. He's also displaying his generosity off it.

Ohtani donated the $150,000 he earned for participating in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday to Angels employees such as trainers, clubhouse workers and media relations staffers, according to a source. Ohtani distributed the checks on Friday.

Ohtani lost in the first round of the Derby to the Nationals’ Juan Soto, but it was an entertaining showing at Coors Field that saw Ohtani set the record for 500-foot homers in a Home Run Derby with six, only to lose after a one-minute tiebreaker and then a three-swing swing-off.

The winner of the event gets $1 million, while the runner-up receives $500,000. Ohtani had planned to donate whatever he earned from the event to Angels employees. The Mets’ Pete Alonso won the event with the Orioles’ Trey Mancini finishing second.

Ohtani, who entered the event as the No. 1 seed with 33 homers, said after the All-Star Game on Tuesday that he'd like to participate in the Home Run Derby again in the future.