The contract Kikuchi agreed to with the Mariners on Monday will pay him $43 million over the first three years of the deal and includes a $13 million player option for 2022 that can be voided with a four-year, $66 million extension, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
In summation, Kikuchi's deal guarantees him at least $56 million over four years and could be worth up to $109 million over seven years, giving the Mariners the ability to control the 27-year-old through the 2025 season. Seattle has yet to confirm the signing of the prized Japanese lefty, but the move is expected to be made official later in the week. Along with the money owed to Kikuchi in the contract, the Mariners will have to pay a yet-to-be-determined posting fee to the Seibu Lions of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League. The huge financial commitment likely ensures that Kikuchi will be included right away in a Seattle rotation that tentatively features Marco Gonzales, Wade LeBlanc, Mike Leake and Felix Hernandez.