The Acquisition of Yoshinobu Yamamoto by the Dodgers Changes the Game
Everyone was abuzz over the recent record-setting free-agent signing of Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The $325 million contract over 12 years, complete with a $50 million signing bonus and no deferred money, certainly made headlines. According to a league source, the Dodgers are swooping in to secure the young talent Yamamoto, who is just 25 years old. This deal is even larger than the one previously struck for pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The investment the Dodgers are making in Yamamoto, as well as Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow, totals more than $1.2 billion, according to Fangraphs. By extending the contract to 12 years, the Dodgers are minimizing the luxury tax impact. Yamamoto’s annual value of $27.08 million places him among the top 34 highest in MLB history, just surpassing new Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman.
The deal deployment by Dodgers President Andrew Friedman has been minimal in the past but with Yamamoto, this move seems to be his biggest bet. The pressure on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is growing and the expectations are sky-high. The roster features a lineup of three prospective Hall of Famers, as well as a rotation including an injury-prone Glasnow and a Buehler coming off Tommy John surgery.
The West-coast rivals, the Giants, and Red Sox are also being watched closely to see how they will respond to this large deal. With this record-breaking signing, the fruitful collaboration of the league’s top talents could lead to yet another epic battle in the next round of labor negotiations.