Reports: Yoshinobu Yamamoto signing with Los Angeles Dodgers for more than $300M

The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again big spenders in free agency, winning the race for Japanese right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. According to Jack Curry of the YES Network, Yamamoto will sign with Los Angeles, joining fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani. A massive deal as another superb pitcher will be wearing Dodger Blue.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan followed Curry’s report, giving out the exact details of the contract Yamamoto will sign with the Dodgers. He will make an astonishing $325 million over the next 12 years. Yamamoto will be in Los Angeles through the 2036 season, two years less than Ohtani.

The money is important from a historical standpoint, with it being the largest contract a pitcher has received in Major League Baseball history. Los Angeles was able to beat Garrett Cole’s contract by $1 million. Plus, there is a posting fee for Yamamoto’s club back in Japan, the Orix Buffaloes.

“Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is the largest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history, beating Gerrit Cole’s deal by $1 million,” Passan said. “Furthermore, the Dodgers will pay an additional $50.6 million in posting fee. Total outlay: 12 years, $375M.”

Multiple teams were in the running to sign Yamamoto throughout his free agency. The Dodgers obviously won out while the New York Yankees were thought to be the biggest threat. According to a report from Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants were notified they were out of the race earlier on Thursday.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand named the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets , and Philadelphia Philadelphia as possibilities for Yamamoto too. All of this for somebody who has never thrown a pitch in the Majors.

The Dodgers will certainly feel like it will be money well spent based on Yamamoto’s age and capability. This past season in Japan, he posted a 1.16 ERA in 171 IP over 24 games. He struck out 176 batters while walking just 28 and gave up just two home runs the entire year.

At just 25 years old, Yamamoto is expected to only get better and have the potential to become one of the best in all of baseball.

Yamamoto will join what should be an incredible Dodgers rotation, even if Ohtani will not be on the mound for the 2024 season. Los Angeles also added Tyler Glasnow this offseason via trade before giving him a five-year deal worth over $136.5 million.

Walker Buehler is another young star but was shut down for the 2023 season with an injury. He is expected to be back by the beginning of the year. Clayton Kershaw is a possibility to return as well once back healthy sometime in the summer.

Winning championships is what the Dodgers want to do and making another incredible splash like Yamamoto is a step in the right direction.