'Dodgers' Yamamoto can opt out twice during 12-year contract

Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

It has been reported that Yoshinobu Yamamoto (25), who signed the highest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) history and wears the LA Dodgers uniform, can exercise his right to opt out twice (obtain free agency status after breaking the contract) during the 12-year contract.

The American media outlet The Athletic reported on the 23rd (Korean time) that Yamamoto's contract included a clause allowing him to opt out after the end of the 2029 and 2031 seasons, respectively.

Yamamoto, who was evaluated as the largest pitcher free agent (FA) in this Major League Baseball Stove League, received courtship from numerous clubs and signed a 12-year contract with the Dodgers, which includes '$700 million man' (approximately 912.1 billion won) Shohei Ohtani, for a total of 300 million won. It is reported that a contract was agreed on terms worth $25 million (approximately 423.5 billion won).

The Dodgers gave the highest treatment to a pitcher who did not throw a single pitch in the major leagues.

First of all, excluding Ohtani, who also doubles as a pitcher, this is the largest contract size for a major league pitcher of all time. Yamamoto's contract total exceeds that of Gerrit Cole, who signed a 9-year contract with the New York Yankees after the end of the 2019 season for a total of $324 million (about 422.2 billion won).

Additionally, Yamamoto became the first pitcher in Major League history to sign a 12-year contract. The only pitcher in the major leagues who signed a contract for more than 10 years was Wayne Garland, who signed a 10-year contract with Cleveland in 1977, but Yamamoto broke this record.

The Athletic confirmed and reported some of Yamamoto's contract details. According to this, Yamamoto signed a contract in the form of a 'backload' in which the annual salary increases as the contract progresses. Additionally, out of $325 million, $50 million (approximately KRW 65.2 billion) is a signing bonus.

It is also noteworthy that two opt-out clauses are included in the contract. Yamamoto can choose to remain with the Dodgers and become a free agent after completing his sixth season in 2029 and his eighth season in 2031.

If he opts out, he can enter the free agent market and set up a negotiation table with 30 major league clubs, including the Dodgers.


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