The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed the coveted pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a Japanese free agent and three-time winner of Japan’s version of the Cy Young Award, given to the outstanding pitcher.
Yamamoto, just 25-years-old, was considered the prize pitcher of this winter’s free-agent market, with every big market team in pursuit. The Dodgers won with a reported 12-year deal worth $325 million, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The contract surpasses the total value of Gerrit Cole’s record $324 million, but is three years longer.
The deal contains no defferals, per reports.
Yamamoto has until Jan. 4 to finalize his deal under terms of his posting.
The signing is the second significant move by the Dodgers in the off-season. They signed designated hitter and reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani to a blockbuster $700 million deal earlier, meaning they have committed a billion dollars to just two players, albeit over many years. Ohtani reportedly deferred the bulk of his annual salary to allow the Dodgers to make other moves.