This winter’s Major League Baseball storyline can be summarized in one word: overpaid. The “right price” debate is set to continue with the announcement of a mega-deal for Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix).
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, reported on Thursday (KST) that Yamamoto’s price tag is expected to skyrocket, reaching at least $245 million (about 317.5 billion won).
The most expensive free agent pitcher in Major League Baseball history is Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees. The runner-up is Stephen Strasburg’s seven-year, $245 million deal with the Washington Nationals.
Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ iconic “super ace,” signed a seven-year, $215 million contract.
According to sports publication The Athletic, “Yamamoto’s contract is expected to reach $300 million. But is it worth the risk?” the publication asked.
“Yamamoto has never pitched in a five-man rotation and has never spent a season in American baseball. It’s a cultural adjustment as well as a baseball one. Why are they so enthusiastic about him, and why are they willing to take the risk of signing him?” he wondered.
This year’s free agency is already a money feast. The Dodgers spent $700 million, the most in North American professional sports history, to land Shohei Ohtani.
The San Francisco Giants reportedly signed Jung-Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract. Lee’s asking price was reportedly around $50 million (KRW 65 billion), rising to $80-90 million (KRW 10.4-11.7 billion) with competition, but the outcome far exceeded that.
“After news broke that the Giants had agreed to terms with Lee, (the Giants’) rival scouts and analysts were stunned,” CBS Sports noted, “as it was seen as an excessive amount.
Yamamoto is sure to be the center of attention if he signs a deal that makes major league pitching free agency history. The New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Dodgers are the most likely contenders for Yamamoto’s services.
