Dodgers Secure Ace Pitcher with $325M Deal with Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Los Angeles Dodgers have added another historic free-agent deal to their winter roster by signing Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract. The deal, which also includes a $50 million posting fee, is pending a physical. Yamamoto's deal surpasses Gerrit Cole's contract in total guaranteed dollars for a pitcher. The Dodgers had already made significant moves in the offseason by signing Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract and acquiring Tyler Glasnow.
A Record-Breaking Deal for Yamamoto
The Los Angeles Dodgers have secured the services of coveted Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto with a record-breaking deal. According to sources, the Dodgers have agreed to a 12-year, $325 million contract with Yamamoto. This deal includes a $50 million signing bonus, making it the most guaranteed dollars ever given to a pitcher.
Previously, Gerrit Cole held the record with his nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees. However, Yamamoto's deal surpasses Cole's in terms of total guaranteed dollars. Yamamoto's deal does not include any deferrals and has an average annual value of $27 million.
A Sign of the Dodgers' Offseason Dominance
The acquisition of Yoshinobu Yamamoto is just the latest move in a highly successful offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Earlier in the winter, the Dodgers made headlines by signing Shohei Ohtani to a massive 10-year, $700 million contract. They also traded for and extended right-hander Tyler Glasnow, further strengthening their rotation.
Combined, the deals for Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Glasnow amount to over $1.1 billion. The deferrals in Ohtani's contract played a significant role in enabling the Dodgers to make these moves. With a rotation that already boasts talented pitchers like Walker Buehler and Dustin May, the addition of Yamamoto further solidifies the Dodgers' pitching depth.
Yamamoto Brings Talent and a Winning Legacy
At just 25 years old, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is considered a potential frontline starter in Major League Baseball. Despite his slight frame, Yamamoto has an impressive repertoire of pitches, including a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, a curveball, a splitter, and a cutter/slider.
Yamamoto's success in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league is well-documented. He has won the league's pitching Triple Crown, leading in wins, ERA, and strikeouts, for three consecutive seasons. He has also been recognized with the Eiji Sawamura Award, Japan's equivalent of the Cy Young Award. Yamamoto's performance in the Japan Series, where he recorded a 14-strikeout complete game, further adds to his impressive resume.
As Yamamoto transitions to MLB, he will join a group of successful Japanese pitchers who have made their mark in the Major Leagues. Players like Shohei Ohtani, Hideo Nomo, and Yu Darvish have paved the way for Yamamoto, and he hopes to continue the tradition of Japanese excellence on the mound.
