Two weeks after reaching a massive agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers, star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto stunned MLB fans, again, on Thursday thanks to new details regarding his lucrative contract.
Yamamoto, who signed with L.A. on Dec. 21, will head to North America on a 12-year, $325 million deal that will include a plethora of perks for the Japanese sensation, ranging from travel to food, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
Yamamoto’s lengthy pact, per Heyman, will reportedly include a personal trainer, physical therapist, and an interpreter as well the team’s promise to provide the “best efforts to make Japanese food available.” Additionally, the 25-year-old will have “4 business class [round-trip] airline tickets,” valued at $8,500 max per trip, and one “premium economy” round-trip ticket to L.A. for his family per year.
As if the hype wasn’t already palpable enough, Thursday’s news gave baseball fans more to marvel over in anticipation of Yamamoto’s arrival and eventual reunion with fellow superstar countrymen and Dodgers newcomer, Shohei Ohtani:
The Dodgers are spending more on flights for Yamamoto’s friends & family than it would cost for The Angels or Jays to travel a radio broadcaster for the year.
— Mike Ferrin (@Mike_Ferrin) January 4, 2024
To make this happen, Ohtani has agreed to defer all of his eating until 2035 https://t.co/QR5xDbCoIA
— Benjamin Hoffman (@BenHoffmanNYT) January 4, 2024
Yamamoto is my favorite Dodger ever. https://t.co/JcEx0ALZJF
— Matthew Peralta (@_MatthewPeralta) January 4, 2024
I can’t imagine chasing a $300+ mil deal and asking for business and premium economy class tickets to be thrown in. His agent did well. https://t.co/YBqIDT8yLr
— Yankeesource ⚾️ (@YankeeSource) January 4, 2024
Is that all??? https://t.co/OmSRXpoEDb
— Sam the Man (@SudnSam) January 4, 2024
Kudos to the Dodger negotiator who got them to hold that 5th ticket at premium economy
— Adam Horowitz (@AdamHorowitzLA) January 4, 2024
