It will be his first season in America's top baseball league, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto's salary for 2024 can already be compared to that of established veterans.
The 25-year-old pitcher, regarded as the second-best player in the free agency, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a deal that broke record books.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million deal, making him the highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball history. His contract was just $1 million higher than Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees.
The deal is also the highest by a Japanese player ahead of his MLB debut.
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This is a bold move for the Dodgers as a week before, they had already signed Shohei Ohtani for a $700 million contract to keep him on the team for ten years.
Despite getting both players for a high fee, the Dodgers still have room to conduct more moves in the market.
"The Dodgers' luxury tax payroll, according to Fangraphs, stands at about $282 million, or about $15 million below the highest threshold," CNN wrote.
"The team still could trade for another starting pitcher to go with Yamamoto, Glasnow, Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller. They also might attempt to upgrade at shortstop."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto contract and total career earnings
Yoshinobu Yamamoto's $325 million contract raised his wealth exponentially. The agreement includes opt-outs after the sixth and ninth years and backloaded salaries.
In Nippon Professional Baseball, his total career earnings were only $5 million. He made his professional debut for the Orix Buffaloes at 19.
He became the franchise's highest-paid player in 2023, signing $4.9 million (¥650 million) the year before.
His signing bonus alone with the Dodgers is set at $50 million. The endorsement alone could eclipse his $5 million salary once he starts playing well in MLB.
Yamamoto's contract with the Dodgers is not the best one he was offered. Before completing the deal, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets tried to sign him.
The Yankees offered his camp ten years for $300 million - an annual average value of $30 million, which is $3 million higher than the Dodgers' offer.
On the other hand, the Mets offered the same amount as the Dodgers and the same length, although it is not known if there are additional bonuses.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Salary 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamoto's salary for 2024 is not yet listed on various rankings of MLB's highest-paid players, but by doing the math, he is inside the Top 30.
His 2024 wages are even higher than former MVP Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers and at the same level as that of Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman and Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper.
He could earn around $27 million next year. On top of that are earnings, around $7.2 million, from tax exemption as he will not pay the California tax as a non-resident of the state.
His bonus will be paid in full by the team next year.
Baseball definitely pays.
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