The LA Dodgers have reportedly sealed a 12-year, $325 million deal with Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, smashing the record for the largest pitcher contract in MLB history. This bombshell news was broken by Jeff Passan from ESPN, citing unnamed sources.
According to Passan, the Dodgers will also pay an extra $50.6 million in signing bonuses, pushing Yamamoto's deal above Max Scherzer's previous record with the New York Mets. The Dodgers' new ace will pocket a cool $36 million annually, making him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history.
The 25-year-old Yamamoto was signed as a free agent last November by the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. Showcasing his talent early on, he won the Sawamura Eiji Award three times in the NPB, an award given to the best starting pitcher.
Yamamoto had a staggering ERA of 1.21 and an impressive 16-6 record in the NPB Pacific League last season. He also dominated the international stage, leading his team to an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo and a World Baseball Classic win in March.
Joining Shohei Ohtani, who reportedly signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers in February, Yamamoto's arrival in LA is sure to send shockwaves through the MLB. The Dodgers have already spent over a billion USD on free agents in this off-season, attracting talent like never before.
Although CNN reached out to Yamamoto's agent, there was no immediate response. Ben Church from CNN also contributed to this report.
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