American media, including The Athletic and ESPN, reported on the 22nd (Korea Standard Time) that the Dodgers and Yamamoto have signed a contract worth more than 300 million dollars. ESPN reporter Jeff Bankruptcy said, “According to sources, the Japanese star Yamamoto and the Dodgers have agreed to a 12-year, $325 million (about 422.9 billion won). The signing bonus is 50 million dollars (about 65 billion won).” The Dodgers also have to pay 50.6 million dollars (about 65.8 billion won) for posting to the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto’s original team.
This is the highest FA record for pitchers. The previous record was $324 million (W421.4 billion) for nine years when Gerrit Cole signed with the New York Yankees, but the Dodgers promised Yamamoto the best treatment for pitchers in the big leagues by adding $1 million to Cole’s ransom. Twelve years also broke the record for the longest contract for a pitcher in history.
The Dodgers, along with the New York Yankees and the New York Mets, were one of the three most active teams in recruiting Yamamoto. The Yankees and the Mets are not lagging behind the Dodgers in terms of financial power, but Yamamoto chose the Dodgers after all.
“Before the Dodgers signed Yamamoto, the Mets made a 12-year, $325 million offer just like the Dodgers,” The Athletic’s Will Samman said. The Yankees also reportedly made an offer worth more than $300 million.
USA Today reporter Bob Nightingale said, “The Dodgers spent 1.1 billion dollars this winter just to catch Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow. It’s an incredible off-season move.”
The Dodgers also drew attention by inviting MVP trio Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who boast a total ransom of $1.227 billion (about 1.6 trillion won), to the presentation held at Dodger Stadium on the 13th. Betts is well-known as Yamamoto’s favorite major league player, and Ohtani was a teammate of the Japanese national team that won the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March.
Regarding the mood of the Dodgers’ presentation, The Athletic said, “The strategy for recruiting Yamamoto was very straightforward. When Yamamoto entered the Dodger Stadium, his name and a video clip of him wearing a Dodgers uniform were displayed on the electronic display.” The Dodgers’ sincerity seems to have reached Yamamoto. 스포츠토토
After signing a 10-year, 700 million-dollar contract with Onati, the Dodgers signed a five-year, 135 million-dollar extension contract after acquiring starting pitcher Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade deal. It then swept away the biggest fish in the FA market by securing Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is a top-rated ace who dominated the Japanese professional baseball league (NPB) at the tender age of 25. In 172 NPB games, he pitched 70-29 with 897 innings, 922 strikeouts and a 1.82 ERA. He has already enjoyed all the glory that he can enjoy in Japan, as he has won four consecutive pitcher titles and the Sawamura Award for three consecutive years so far this year.
Major League website MLB.com said when choosing the Dodgers as the team that would suit Yamamoto, “The Dodgers are trying to establish a dynasty. Betts, Freeman, and Ohtani are on the lineup. What they don’t have now are superstars (similar to the MVP trio). Recently, Tyler Glasnow was brought in as a trade, and once pitching and concurrent employment star Ohtani returns from 2025, pitchers could be close to the batting average. However, one solid ace will lead the team to beat the Dodgers for several years to come. Clayton Kershaw is in his twilight years and there is no guarantee that he will throw for the Dodgers next season. Walker Buehler said he would become a free agent next year.
“Yamamoto can be established as the core. Yamamoto is already Kershaw of Japan. He won the Sawamura Award in Japan and won the MVP and Triple Crown. Now he can be the ‘next Kershaw’ in the Dodgers. As Yamamoto is four years younger than Ohtani and five years younger than Glasnow, he has the potential to become the ace of the Dodgers in the long run.” It makes us wonder whether Yamamoto will be the new Kershaw of the Dodgers.