New Details Emerge in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Dodgers Contract

Just before the year came to an end, the Los Angeles Dodgers made another free agency splash by signing Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract.

The deal made history as both the longest and largest deal for a pitcher in MLB history, but that’s just the beginning of this wild contract.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post provided new details on Yamamoto’s contract with L.A., one that gets crazier by the day.

Per Heyman, Yamamoto’s deal requires the Dodgers to include a personal trainer, physical therapist, interpreter and airline tickets to Yamamoto. Additionally, the team is required to make an effort to add more Japanese food into the ballpark.

Those are all the perks, but Yamamoto’s deal also includes a few different types of player opt-outs. Yamamoto can opt out after the 2029 or 2031 seasons if he did not have a Tommy John surgery or was on the injured list for more than 134 straight days from 2024 to 2029.

If he does have a major elbow surgery or goes on the IL for more than 134 straight days between 2024 and 2029, he can opt out after the 2031 or 2033 seasons.

There’s a lot of intricacies in this contract, but the Dodgers clearly weren’t worried about any of these stipulations. The Dodgers wanted Yamamoto to be happy and feel comfortable in Los Angeles, as they would love to have him stay throughout the entirety of this 12-year deal.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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