Not our Star Blazer: Yamamoto signs with the Dodgers for $325 million, 12 years

[amfox1]

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
1m

Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on an 12-year, $325 million contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
1m

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. Furthermore, the Dodgers will pay an additional $50.6 million in posting fee. Total outlay: 12 years, $375M.

 

[bosox1534]

12/325 is insane to me for a guy that’s never pitched in majors, even Ohtani who was as good of a pitcher and also an incredible hitter didn’t even sniff that contract when first coming over. At least now we can move on and hopefully get the offseason going. Don’t be bummed out because of one guy already, nobody wins games in the offseason.

 

[Apisith]

Oh wow.

 

[Mike473]

They will get killed if they play poorly regardless if they spend $200M on Montgomery or Snell, or $30M on Paxton and Ryu. And the opposite is true if they play well. Life won’t be any easier for Breslow if he spends a ton of money on some duds.

Very true, if they are pretty sure they are going to suck for a couple more seasons, might as well waive the flag of surrender without breaking the bank I guess. But, still not a great feeling.

 

[ehaz]

The Red Sox offered 7/$125M.

 

[jon abbey]

12/325 is insane to me for a guy that’s never pitched in majors, even Ohtani who was as good of a pitcher and also an incredible hitter didn’t even sniff that contract when first coming over.

Ohtani would have gotten at least that if the system allowed it, but Japanese players under 25 are subject to the international players limits and so he could only get a fraction of that.

 

[Murby]

Weird place for the league right now. Attendance issues. TV issues. But one team has signed two players for $1 billion.

This is what struck me….$1B!!!

 

[StuckOnYouk]

Shocked the AAV is less than 30 mil. Have to believe he just wanted the dodgers all along.
But absolutely fantastic he isn’t going to the Yankees. The NY confidence had me worried.

 

[budcrew08]

Bummed but not surprised at the outcome. At this rate, the Dodgers will be aiming for the regular season wins record and trying to go undefeated in the postseason. Hopefully this opens up what the Sox do.

 

[Sausage in Section 17]

So that’s ~ $1.2B in new contracts for them so far this offseason. No big deal.

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Weird place for the league right now. Attendance issues. TV issues. But one team has signed two players for $1 billion.

It’s the haves and the have nots. TV issues greatly affecting some times, while the Dodgers are guaranteed $300M+ with theirs, which can pay their payroll without even getting into any other revenues. It’s pretty wild.

 

[Max Power]

So the guy sets up camp in LA, makes a token appearance out east to drive up the price, and signs with the MFD? What a waste of time. At some point they'll run out of room on their 26 man roster and leave some players for the other teams.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Jeff Passan on X: "Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on an 12-year, $325 million contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN." / X (twitter.com)

 

[TapeAndPosts]

makes a token appearance out east to drive up the price

Given Andy Martino's report that the Mets also bid $325 million (and the Yanks $300M), I think this is exactly what happened. He got the best offer from the New York teams, asked the Dodgers to match it, and they did.

 

[The Filthy One]

The real drag in all of this is that I can’t watch the Dodgers without getting actual cable. Not that this will convince me to do it, but it still sucks.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Absolutely insane. But thank God it's not the fucking Yankees.

I would have topped that offer in a heartbeat. And I would not be shocked if we did. But we can't offer SoCal weather, or the chance to play with Ohtani, Freeman... or Mookie Betts.

 

[bosox1534]

Just another example as to why MLB needs to institute a salary cap. Ridiculous that you can have one player more than multiple teams payrolls.

 

[Mike473]

What's done is done. Very disappointed. But, we have to move on. Hopefully, they will make a couple decent moves instead of just punting on 2024 and bargain shopping. We should have a good idea within the next couple weeks.

 

[mikcou]

Just another example as to why MLB needs to institute a salary cap. Ridiculous that you can have one player more than multiple teams payrolls.

Is there a team with a payroll below $46M? Last I checked no one was below $75M at this point and hasnt been for a while.

 

[Sprowl]

Thread title duly, if miserably, changed.

 

[Cellar-Door]

Just another example as to why MLB needs to institute a salary cap. Ridiculous that you can have one player more than multiple teams payrolls.

one there isn't, two, the lowest payroll teams aren't the lowest because of anything other than their owners' liking to pocket money, if anything MLB should put in an owner spending floor, fair to reach it twice in a decade and the league's other owners auction your franchise off.

 

[bosox1534]

Is there a team with a payroll below $46M? Last I checked no one was below $75M at this point and hasnt been for a while.

Oakland and Baltimore each below $60M, so in total money are both below Ohtanis yearly salary.

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Is there a team with a payroll below $46M? Last I checked no one was below $75M at this point and hasnt been for a while.

A’s were $57m last year. Seems like they could be lower than that this year, although it’s kind of hard to do.

 

[mikcou]

one there isn't, two, the lowest payroll teams aren't the lowest because of anything other than their owners' liking to pocket money, if anything MLB should put in an owner spending floor, fair to reach it twice in a decade and the league's other owners auction your franchise off.

This is absolutely true. Teams are getting close to $150M in base revenue (before their 52% share of local revenue) from media deals and revenue sharing. Some owners just want to pocket that rather than put a good product on the field.

 

[bosox1534]

one there isn't, two, the lowest payroll teams aren't the lowest because of anything other than their owners' liking to pocket money, if anything MLB should put in an owner spending floor, fair to reach it twice in a decade and the league's other owners auction your franchise off.

I know there isn’t one, that’s why I said they need to institute one. Also, those teams aren’t bringing in enough revenue because they’re just smaller market teams. It doesn’t fall completely on the owners, a team in LA will always get more publicity than a team in KC.

 

[TimScribble]

View: https://twitter.com/jonheyman/status/1738055870905287047?s=46&t=7XazH1NKZP26a4WUZikbkQ

Is this the posting fee or something else ?

 

[Bongorific]

Absolutely insane. But thank God it's not the fucking Yankees.

I would have topped that offer in a heartbeat. And I would not be shocked if we did. But we can't offer SoCal weather, or the chance to play with Ohtani, Freeman... or Mookie Betts.

I would be absolutely shocked if Boston topped that offer.

 

[cheekydave]

Sox were never getting him, THRILLED he didnt go to the Yankees, heading over to Yankees fans forum now havent been there in years.

 

[simplicio]

The Dodgers Ohtani+Yamamoto+Glasnow contacts (about $100m together) would have been 23rd in team payrolls this year, between Miami and Cincinnati.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

Makes sense. As the song goes, it never rains in California . . .

 

[Cellar-Door]

I know there isn’t one, that’s why I said they need to institute one. Also, those teams aren’t bringing in enough revenue because they’re just smaller market teams. It doesn’t fall completely on the owners, a team in LA will always get more publicity than a team in KC.

No I mean there isn't one as in there is no player making more than a payroll. As to the market.... , market doesn't have anything to do with it really, several of the lowest payroll teams and lowest revenue teams are in big markets (DET, MIA, OAK).... they just don't spend money because their owners are cheap and after a while fans stop showing up or turning on the TV because they know their owner cares far more about pocketing the money than putting out a product.

There are plenty of people who would willingly buy the Royals and spend more money.

 

[RS2004foreever]

No, it’s legit. Then he’s flying with Mac Jones to Denver to watch the Pats game in Kraft’s luxury box.
[/QUOT

Given Andy Martino's report that the Mets also bid $325 million (and the Yanks $300M), I think this is exactly what happened. He got the best offer from the New York teams, asked the Dodgers to match it, and they did.

This. All things being equal he was probably always going to the same team as Ohtani.
AAV including the posting fee is $31 million.

If Ohtani can pitch in the playoffs the Dodgers rotation is going to be insane.

 

[brandonchristensen]

Absolutely expected. I hate it. Baseball continues to suck.

Dodgers are the new evil empire.

 

[simplicio]

This. All things being equal he was probably always going to the same team as Ohtani.
AAV including the posting fee is $31 million.

If Ohtani can pitch in the playoffs the Dodgers rotation is going to be insane.

Posting fee doesn't count for AAV

 

[koufax32]

Absolutely expected. I hate it. Baseball continues to suck.

Dodgers are the new evil empire.

Let’s not get carried away here.

 

[RS2004foreever]

Posting fee doesn't count for AAV

It does when the team factors in the cost.

 

[TapeAndPosts]

Given the way this seems to have gone down I feel better about Yamamoto not visiting Fenway. If all he was trying to do out East was get big offers from the NYY and NYM to drive up what the Dodgers would offer him, happy not to have been a part of that farce.

 

[brandonchristensen]

Let’s not get carried away here.

It’s not that the Sox didn’t sign him, that’s annoying. But the league is so broken. It’s not guaranteeing anything for the Dodgers - but it makes watching the sport way less fun. Yamamoto would have been a superstar anywhere else that could have lifted an entire franchise.

 

[sambamcunningham22]

One easy way to solve for this. Only allow each team to sign a max of one top tier free agent each year. No salary cap needed.

 

[bosox1534]

No I mean there isn't one as in there is no player making more than a payroll. As to the market.... , market doesn't have anything to do with it really, several of the lowest payroll teams and lowest revenue teams are in big markets (DET, MIA, OAK).... they just don't spend money because their owners are cheap and after a while fans stop showing up or turning on the TV because they know their owner cares far more about pocketing the money than putting out a product.

There are plenty of people who would willingly buy the Royals and spend more money.

Ohtanis 10/700 equals out to a yearly salary which is more than the two lowest teams. I get that there are deferrals, but the money is still all guaranteed, whether it be now or later. Even if you take deferrals into the account, the $68M owed in 2033 might still be more than some payrolls. Either way it really doesn’t stop my argument of a salary cap, which every other sport does and nobody seems to have an issue. It would allow a team like the Dodgers to not be able to sign every big free agent that hits the market and make it easier for teams with smaller payrolls to compete easier.

 

[Max Power]

Let’s not get carried away here.

How are they not? If there's a free agent they want, they get him.

There's no need to keep Yoshida now. If there's a deal to be made that improves the team overall, eat some of the contract and ship him out.

 

[Midnight Ryder Jones]

Absolutely expected. I hate it. Baseball continues to suck.

Dodgers are the new evil empire.

What's the problem? Half of the posters in here have spent the last four years assuring us going over the CBT was absolutely crippling to a baseball team and that all big contracts are bad contracts. Seems like the Dodgers are in big trouble!

 

[brandonchristensen]

Ohtanis 10/700 equals out to a yearly salary which is more than the two lowest teams. I get that there are deferrals, but the money is still all guaranteed, whether it be now or later. Even if you take deferrals into the account, the $68M owed in 2033 might still be more than some payrolls. Either way it really doesn’t stop my argument of a salary cap, which every other sport does and nobody seems to have an issue. It would allow a team like the Dodgers to not be able to sign every big free agent that hits the market and make it easier for teams with smaller payrolls to compete easier.

Need a cap but also a floor. Which would elevate all of the money in the game more than just one team outspending the rest. It’s such a no brainer.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Weird place for the league right now. Attendance issues. TV issues. But one team has signed two players for $1 billion.

Yeah, I’m not sure it’s a sign of a healthy league when you have one team spending a billion dollars and the Athletics are operating like a mom and pop shop.

 

[brandonchristensen]

What's the problem? Half of the posters in here have spent the last four years assuring us going over the CBT was absolutely crippling to a baseball team and that all big contracts are bad contracts. Seems like the Dodgers are in big trouble!

Aren’t they somehow not over the CBT? They’d been preparing for this offseason from what I recall.

 

[Cellar-Door]

Ohtanis 10/700 equals out to a yearly salary which is more than the two lowest teams. I get that there are deferrals, but the money is still all guaranteed, whether it be now or later. Even if you take deferrals into the account, the $68M owed in 2033 might still be more than some payrolls. Either way it really doesn’t stop my argument of a salary cap, which every other sport does and nobody seems to have an issue. It would allow a team like the Dodgers to not be able to sign every big free agent that hits the market and make it easier for teams with smaller payrolls to compete easier.

Well every other league doesn't have a cap (see Premier League) but that's fine I guess, if you want a cap you'd have to negotiate it with the players, and they would ask for what those other leagues with caps all have... set percentages of revenue to players guaranteed every year, and a salary floor... it won't happen, because while LAD might not be able to sign Yamamoto for example (though they might just do soft caps like the NBA, though also the Dodgers have structured a lot of things so they might have ended up under the cap anyway) the Oakland owners would probably have to double their payroll to hit the floor.

 

[bosox1534]

And even after all these moves we will probably be sitting here next year after the Dodgers lose the NLCS to the Braves mad about them signing the biggest free agent.

 

[Midnight Ryder Jones]

Aren’t they somehow not over the CBT? They’d been preparing for this offseason from what I recall.

Ohtani, Glasnow, and Yamamoto are going to count for about $100 million towards the cap just on their own. The Dodgers are going to blow past the CBT threshold and won't be under again for a long time, if ever.

 

[E5 Yaz]

And even after all these moves we will probably be sitting here next year after the Dodgers lose the NLCS to the Braves mad about them signing the biggest free agent.

What the Braves do as a counter-move will be fascinating to watch.

 

[RS2004foreever]

So the question becomes what does the money look like for Snell/Montgomery? At the end of the day the Glasnow deal might look really good.