The Los Angeles Dodgers have once again made a historic free-agent deal, signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million deal. The coveted Japanese right-hander will receive the most guaranteed dollars ever given to a pitcher, surpassing Gerrit Cole by $1 million. This blockbuster deal includes a $50 million signing bonus, with no deferrals. Yamamoto’s former Nippon Professional Baseball team, the Orix Buffaloes, will also receive a posting fee of around $50 million.
This latest signing comes after the Dodgers secured the services of Shohei Ohtani in a 10-year, $700 million deal. Ohtani’s deal also includes unprecedented deferrals. The Dodgers further bolstered their rotation by trading for and extending right-hander Tyler Glasnow. The total value of the deals for Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Glasnow is more than $1.1 billion this offseason.
The Dodgers already possessed an enviable pitching lineup. However, they were looking to add at least one top-of-the-rotation arm to fortify their depth. The signing of Yamamoto fulfills this requirement, especially with pitchers such as Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin recovering from surgery.
While the team has not officially confirmed the deal, it is still pending a physical. Nevertheless, Yamamoto’s signing would give the Dodgers even more depth in the pitching department. It would also send a signal to the rest of the MLB that the team is serious about contending for the 2022 World Series title.
The Dodgers’ recent free-agent moves have caused a stir in the baseball world. Many are left wondering just how much further the team is prepared to go in order to reinforce their squad. They are already among the top favorites to win the World Series, but their recent acquisitions have made them even stronger contenders.
Should the deal be finalized, Yamamoto would be added to an already impressive list of pitchers on the Dodgers’ roster. His arrival would give the team even more options in terms of their pitching rotation, and make them even more formidable opponents for their rivals. With so much money being invested in the team’s future, expectations for the Dodgers to be successful in the years to come have never been higher.