Not long after hitting the jackpot by signing Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers did it again with Japanese starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. While he hasn’t yet appeared in an MLB game, the hurler has signed a 12-year, $325 million contract, first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan on December 21. It’s the richest pitcher contract in big-league history.
One of the details not yet shared was the conditions behind the two opt-outs in Yamamoto’s deal. A January 2 report by The Associated Press shed light on what both Yamamoto and Los Angeles agreed upon.
The deal itself runs from 2024 through 2035 if completed from start to finish. According to the report, the conditions of Yamamoto’s opt-outs are tied to the health of his elbow. Here are the basics:
- If Yamamoto undergoes Tommy John surgery or lands on the injured list because of an elbow injury for 134 consecutive days at any time between 2024 and 2029, his opt-outs won’t happen until after the 2031 and 2033 seasons.
- If neither of those situations comes to pass between 2024 and 2029, he’ll have the opportunity to opt out after the 2029 and 2031 seasons.
The report also notes that if the first scenario happens, the Dodgers get a $10 million conditional option added on for 2036 with no buyout.
Yamamoto Has Other Ways He Can Opt Out
The above details will get the attention of many. However, this same Associated Press report discussed other ways in which Yamamoto could opt out.
There isn’t a no-trade clause in his deal. If he does get traded during the season, though, he’ll have the power to opt out during the offseason immediately following the trade. Should Yamamoto get dealt during the offseason, he can exercise this same power the following winter.
So, if the right-handeder gets traded and is truly unhappy with where he is, he won’t have to be there longer than a year.
Details on Compensation and Other Accommodations
We knew the general parameters of Yamamoto’s deal once it became official on December 27. In addition to awarding him $325 million, his former team — the Orix Buffaloes — is getting a $50.6 million posting fee. The righty will also be receiving a $50 million signing bonus.
What we didn’t know was how he’d be getting that signing bonus and what his annual salaries are. Thanks to this Associated Press report, that’s no longer a mystery.
Here’s a breakdown of Yamamoto’s yearly salaries:
- $5 million in 2024
- $10 million in 2025
- $12 million in 2026
- $26 million from 2027-29
- $29 million from 2030-31
- $28 million from 2032-35
Yamamoto will get $20 million of his signing bonus by February 1 and the rest by July 1.
The Dodgers also aren’t allowed to assign him to the minor leagues without his consent. He’ll have a full-time interpreter, personal trainer and physical therapist at his disposal. Los Angeles is giving him five round-trip airline tickets each year and a hotel suite on road trips, as well.
So, while that $325 million guarantee is the big number everyone will talk about, there are lots of other perks for Yamamoto (and expenses for the Dodgers) included. And after deferring all but $20 million of Ohtani’s $700 million deal, there is no deferred money in Yamamoto’s contract.
Comments
Conditions of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Dodgers Opt-Outs Revealed: Report