Current:Home > MarketsReport: Dodgers agree to 12-year deal with Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto -BeyondProfit Compass
Report: Dodgers agree to 12-year deal with Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto
View
Date:2025-04-12 20:12:58
The Los Angeles Dodgers prolific offseason continues, as the team has reportedly inked Japanese starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year contract, further bolstering an already star-studded roster.
The deal, which has been reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, is worth an astounding $325 million, the highest amount ever given to a pitcher.
Yamamoto, 25, has spent the previous seven seasons pitching for the Nippon Professional Baseball League's Orix Buffaloes, with whom he won a Japanese Series title in 2022, three straight Pacific League MVP Awards and Eiji Sawamura Awards (the Japanese equivalent of a Cy Young Award) and three NPBL triple crown titles, amongst dozens of other accolades.
In those seven seasons, Yamamoto had a 70-29 record with a dazzling 1.82 ERA and 922 strikeouts over 829 and one-third innings.
He's known for his unique delivery and ability to hit triple digits with his fastball, which is nicely complemented by an array of off-speed pitches that include a curveball and splitter.
He will join fellow Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, whom the Dodgers previously signed to a record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal earlier this month. The two tore through the World Baseball Classic together, leading Japan to the tournament title.
Unlike Ohtani's deal, which has an astounding amount of money deferred until the end of the actual contract, Rosenthal reports that Yamamoto's deal has no deferrals and comes with a $50 million signing bonus. Passan says that the deal has two opt-outs.
The Dodgers also added another stellar arm to their rotation last week, trading for Los Angeles native Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Yamamoto was posted to the MLB by the Buffaloes on Nov. 20. Posting is a transfer system between Major League Baseball and the NPBL, allowing teams the opportunity to try and sign players from the opposing league for a fee.
In this instance, the Dodgers will have to pay Orix $50.6 million, Passan reported.
Several big league teams have been tied to the pitcher over recent weeks, most notably the New York Mets, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. However, Yamamoto figures to join the already bright lights of Los Angeles, who were perennial World Series favorites prior to their billion dollar spending spree ahead of the 2024 season.
The deal has not yet been made official by MLB or the Dodgers.
Dean FioresiDean Fioresi is a web producer at KCAL News in Los Angeles. He covers breaking news throughout Southern California. When he's not writing about local events, he enjoys focusing on sports and entertainment.
veryGood! (59253)
Related
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Zoë Kravitz Reveals Her and Channing Tatum's Love Language
- Google rolls out Pixel 9 phones earlier than usual as AI race with Apple heats up
- Why AP called Minnesota’s 5th District primary for Rep. Ilhan Omar over Don Samuels
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- 2nd woman sentenced in straw purchase of gun used to kill Illinois officer and wound another
- Trump's campaign office in Virginia burglarized, authorities searching for suspect
- Colman Domingo's prison drama 'Sing Sing' is a 'hard' watch. But there's hope, too.
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Ex-NFL running back Cierre Wood sentenced to life in prison after murder, child abuse plea
Ranking
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Federal board urges stricter safety rules for loading and dispatching charter flights like air tours
- Inflation likely stayed low last month as Federal Reserve edges closer to cutting rates
- Emirates NBA Cup 2024 schedule: Groups, full breakdown of in-season tournament
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Trucking company owner pleads guilty to charges related to crash that killed 7 bikers
- Trucking company owner pleads guilty to charges related to crash that killed 7 bikers
- 'Growing up is hard enough': Jarren Duran's anti-gay slur could hurt LGBTQ youth
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
Emails show lieutenant governor’s staff engaged in campaign-related matters during business hours
Janet Jackson says she's related to Stevie Wonder, Samuel L. Jackson and Tracy Chapman
Arkansas police officer fired after video shows him beating handcuffed man in patrol car
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Is America ready for our first woman president? Why Harris' biggest obstacle is gender.
Group explores ambulance vessels as part of solution to Maine’s island care crisis
Inflation likely stayed low last month as Federal Reserve edges closer to cutting rates