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Clearly, the Los Angeles Dodgers won’t abandon the strategy that has brought them two straight World Series championships.
During the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings earlier this month, news broke that the team had acquired superstar free agent closer Edwin Diaz. That was despite the fact that the team had just signed closer Tanner Scott to a major contract in the winter before.
That deal also brought the Dodgers’ deferred payment obligations to more than $1 billion, underscoring the fact that the team’s financial strategy has not yet reached its limit.
“Edwin Diaz won’t receive all of his $69 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers until 2047, with the closer’s deal raising deferred payment obligations for the two-time World Series champions to more than a billion dollars due to nine players,” ESPN News Services reported. “The 2026 money will be due from 2036 to 2045, the 2027 money 2037-46 and the 2028 money 2038-47.”
The Dodgers have deferred the money owed on major contracts to star players like Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and Will Smith. But, interestingly enough, they owe their latest World Series champion to a superstar whose 12-year, $325 million deal includes no deferrals: Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Faces Injury Concerns After World Series
As the Dodgers struggled to field healthy pitchers in a marathon World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays this past season, Yamamoto stepped up to log a legendary Fall Classic performance that earned him Most Valuable Player honors for the series. He logged two complete games through the playoffs and maintained a 1.02 ERA in the World Series with 15 strikeouts across 17 and two-thirds innings.
After that legendary performance, there has been reason to fear that Yamamoto could be experiencing some fatigue on his arm. After all, he took on a significant workload on relatively limited rest.
And that worry has been amplified as the pitcher has signaled his interest to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic for Team Japan, which would put even further strain on his arm.
Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Wants to Pitch in World Baseball Classic
Now, Yamamoto has provided an update on how he’s recovering as he eyes a potential spot in the international tournament.
“The club events are over, so I was able to take it easy in November,” Yamamoto said during a press conference, according to a translated report from Japanese outlet Sponichi Annex. “If things go well, I think I’ll be able to play (in the World Baseball Classic). I’ve pitched a lot this season, so if my condition improves as usual, I’ll be able to play.”
Yamamoto provided his optimistic outlook when asked specifically about fatigue following his long season, and he added that he has already started practicing. So, it seems like he expects to participate in the offseason tournament before returning to the Dodgers and beginning another marathon journey toward the World Series.
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