Shohei Ohtani is donating $500,000 to help firefighters and others affected by the LA wildfires

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is donating $500,000 to help firefighters and animals forced to flee the deadly wildfires around the region.

Ohtani announced his intention on Instagram, with LA Strong in white lettering against a black background.

“We’ll be donating $500,000 to help those firefighters and those forced to live in shelter to help animals in need,” he wrote.

The Dodgers and other Los Angeles sports teams are partnering in selling an “LA Strong” collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts, with all proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and American Red Cross.

“I hope you all will consider this,” Ohtani wrote

Shohei Ohtani donates $500K to those affected by LA wildfires

He joins the likes of a collaborative group of Los Angeles-area professional sports franchises, who teamed up to donate $8 million to victims of the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, which displaced thousands.

Dodgers could still sign 1 All-Star pitcher in free agency?

The Los Angeles Dodgers may not be done trying to beat the rest of Major League Baseball into submission.

The defending champion Dodgers continued their victory lap on Friday by winning the sweepstakes for Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old Sasaki now joins an offseason haul for the Dodgers that already included the additions of Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, and Hyeseong Kim as well as new deals for Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman.

But in an appearance on AM 570 in Los Angeles after the Sasaki news broke, David Vassegh of SportsNet LA revealed that the Dodgers’ latest spending spree might not be over just yet.

“Don’t rule out Tanner Scott,” said Vassegh. “Sasaki signing an international minor-league contract does not take up a 40-man roster spot. The Dodgers are at 39 [men] right now. That is a spot for a Major League reliever, which the Dodgers are on the record as saying they are looking for, and Tanner Scott is the best on the market right now.”

Shohei Ohtani donates $500K to those affected by LA wildfires

The left-hander Scott, 30, is the indeed the top remaining reliever on the free agent market. He was an All-Star in 2024 (splitting time between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres) and posted a microscopic 1.75 ERA with 84 strikeouts over 72 total appearances.

Several weeks ago, the Dodgers were already linked to Scott in free agent rumors, which is interesting given Scott’s history with Shohei Ohtani. Even with all of the spending that the Dodgers have (again) done this winter, it looks like the eight-year veteran Scott is still very much in play for them.