Yoshinobu Yamamoto will reportedly sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
YES Network’s Jack Curry reported late Thursday night that LA will sign the Japanese pitching sensation.
Other baseball insiders quickly confirmed the report and added more information. ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed details of the contract. The deal is for 12 years and $325 million, a record contract for a pitcher.
The news capped a wild day of rumors about the coveted free agent. Curry himself had reported only about an hour before that the New York Yankees had made a “very substantial” offer to Yamamoto and felt they had the best overall package to land him. The Pat McAfee Show‘s Ty Schmit had a similar report earlier in the evening, tweeting “Hearing from very reliable sources that Yamamoto to the Yankees is done. 9 years $326 million.”
In the end, Yamamoto liked the Dodgers’ offer the best.
It’s the Dodgers’ second huge coup in two weeks, following their 10-year, $700 million deal with Shohei Ohtani. They also picked up the oft-injured but incredibly talented right-hander Tyler Glasnow in a recent trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
While as many as seven teams were reportedly in the chase for Yamamoto early Thursday, the San Francisco Giants reportedly dropped out of the running, leaving the Dodgers, Yankees, New York Mets, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto.
The Yankees, Dodgers and Mets had emerged as clear front-runners. In fact, the Mets reportedly offered a contract with the same 12-year/$325 million terms, according to The Athletic.
Yamamoto’s financial windfall is unprecedented for an MLB pitcher, beating Yankees ace Gerrit Cole’s contract by $1 million.
The 25-year-old pitcher arrives with enormous expectations, after posting a 1.72 ERA in seven seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Yamamoto’s deal exploded on X/Twitter.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.