"Varland and Ohtani crossed paths in 2024, when the Japanese star joined the Dodgers via free agency, signing a 10-year, $700 million deal. Ohtani is one of the most valuable athletes in the world, a true superstar across Asia. At the same time, his stateside popularity continues to grow as he makes unprecedented history on the baseball field. He grosses millions in endorsements, giving him plenty of money to spare and help out a teammate going through a tough time."
"That was a big moment. I thought everyone really appreciated that. Ironically, that player we had, his brother pitched for the Blue Jays in the World Series. I saw the mom during the World Series and I said how are you doing? She said the cancer is gone. Shohei does a lot of great things, but a lot of what he does is on the down low."
A former Dodgers pitcher, Gus Varland, supported his mother during a cancer diagnosis. Shohei Ohtani made a significant financial contribution that helped secure treatment for Varland's mother. The mother was later seen during the World Series and reported that the cancer is gone. Ohtani joined the Dodgers in 2024 on a 10-year, $700 million deal and earns substantial endorsement income that enabled the support. Cancer treatment costs can be extremely expensive, and the financial assistance likely eased the Varland family's burden. Varland pitched 17.2 innings over two seasons with a 3.06 ERA in 15 appearances.
Read at Dodgers Nation
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