This MLB offseason has been a flurry of spending, particularly for a certain team in southern California. Less than two weeks after the Los Angeles Dodgers set a record by giving Shohei Ohtani a $700 million deal, the team is reaching new heights yet again — this time boosting their pitching rotation by signing Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a massive contract.
Yamamoto and the Dodgers agreed to a fully guaranteed 12-year, $325 million deal. In terms of guaranteed money, it’s the highest-ever amount for a starting pitcher, surpassing the $324 million the New York Yankees gave Gerrit Cole in 2019. The Yankees were in the Yamamoto sweepstakes, too, though the ace ultimately chose the Dodgers after they put up more money. The New York Mets gave Yamamoto a similar offer to the one from the Dodgers but couldn’t win the pitcher’s services.
This agreement also means the Dodgers have now surpassed more than $1 billion in free agent spending this offseason, highlighted by Ohtani and Yamamoto. In fact, the Dodgers have committed more money to free agents this offseason than every other team in the major leagues combined.
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Beyond Yamamoto’s $325 million, the Dodgers owe $50.6 million to the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto’s previous team. That payment will serve as the posting fee to allow Yamamoto to come to the United States.
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Yamamoto is coming off three consecutive seasons of achieving the Triple Crown, winning the Pacific League MVP, and earning the Sawamura Award, which is given to the league’s top pitcher. Now, he’ll get to flash his stuff against the MLB’s best — and he’s getting an incredible pay raise to do it.
Last season, the Buffaloes signed Yamamoto to a $4.9 million contract. It’s a record contract for that franchise. Yamamoto will be making more than five times that amount every year with the Dodgers; his contract averages a little more than $27 million per year.
While Ohtani’s deal includes $680 million in deferred money, Yamamoto will make all of his salary during the 12-year duration of the contract. He’ll receive a $50 million signing bonus and has two opt-outs throughout the deal.
Ohtani offered to defer the majority of his contract so the Dodgers could sign talent around him. Based on their offseason so far, it’s safe to say they’ve put that financial flexibility to good use.
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