Yoshinobu Yamamoto Chose Dodgers Over Mets Despite Identical Contract Offers: Reports
The Dodgers have officially put together one of the best — if not the best — offseasons in baseball history. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has decided to sign with the Dodgers on a 12-year, $325 million contract.
He now gives the team a front-line ace for years to come, and the Dodgers have addressed their most pressing roster issue. They might still seek another starter who can provide some depth, but Yamamoto figures to be their last big free-agent domino to fall this offseason.
Interestingly, the Dodgers got Yamamoto even though he received an identical offer from one other team: the New York Mets.
The two New York teams were always viewed as the Dodgers’ biggest competitors for Yamamoto. The top offers ended up coming from the Dodgers and the Mets, with the Yankees reportedly offering $300 million.
The Dodgers have now spent more than a billion dollars this offseason alone. Even though Shohei Ohtani’s outlay will pay him $700 million, the unique structure of the contract will defer all but $20 million until the contract expires. Since money in the future is less value than money in the present, the actual value of the contract was calculated at $460 million by MLB and $438 million by the MLB Players’ Association.
Yamamoto is just 25 years old, so there is plenty of room for him to continue growing his game. He is seen by many as the best pitcher to come over from Japan, which is why the price tag was so high for his services.
Alongside ace Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers can boast one of the best rotations in baseball. Behind Glasnow and Yamamoto, the Dodgers can line up second-year starter Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler, who is coming off Tommy John surgery.
The Dodgers entered the offseason wanting to make a splash. Instead they have created tidal waves that will linger for years to come.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
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Friedman strikes again! It was the offseason for us to do that. The Trevor Bauer situation hamstrung us for a couple years. But it has now become a blessing in disguise. If memory serves; we are still a bit below the luxury tax threshold. Talk with Clayton on a two year deal with a small deferral for year one and call it a day!