The Seattle Mariners signed 1B/DH Lee Dae-ho to a one-year deal. He’s Korean, but most recently played in NPB for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
He would’ve made around $5 million from the Hawks if he had stayed there for 2016. He’s expected to make up to $4 million if he reaches certain incentives with the Mariners. He turns 34 this year. Taking a potentially lower-paying gig may simply be a function of Lee wanting to challenge himself in the Majors.
Lee batted .282/.368/.524 with 31 homers and 98 RBI in 141 games for the Hawks in 2015. For his career -- 11 years in KBO, four years in NPB -- he’s a .303/.387/.514 hitter with 323 homers. Obviously the majority of that came in the much hitter-friendly environment in Korea. He hit quite well in Japan too, of course, with his 2015 season being his best in NPB.
