Yamamoto signs £256.2m 12-year deal to join Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Japanese right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a 12-year deal worth a reported $325m (£256.2m).

They will also pay a $50.6m (£39.9m) 'posting fee' - designed to compensate Japanese teams - for the 25-year-old, who joins from Orix Buffaloes.

Yamamoto had interest from multiple teams, including the New York Yankees.

Earlier in December, the Dodgers signed his compatriot Shohei Ohtani in a record $700m (£558m) 10-year contract.

Ohtani said last week he was deferring the majority of his record-breaking contract to help them achieve Major League Baseball success.

The Dodgers won the last of their seven World Series titles in 2020.