Instead of losing out on Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants sign South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal.

A source has informed The Associated Press that the San Francisco Giants and South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee have reached an agreement on a six-year contract worth $113 million.

Since the deal was under wraps, the source spoke with the AP on Tuesday under the condition of anonymity.

South Korean MVP Lee, who is the son of an MVP, has the option to become a free agency after four years and $72 million if he wants to terminate the pact.

The Giants, who won the National League West and a franchise-record 107 games in 2021, will be able to address a significant need in center field with the addition of the versatile Lee.

After losing out on two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who signed a record-setting $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco made a deal.

Since the Lee agreement was still in the negotiation phase, Giants BP Farhan Zaidi chose not to comment on it Tuesday.

He went into detail about the club’s negotiations with Ohtani, saying that they had made three separate offers, the last of which was extremely comparable to the one they struck with the Dodgers.

“What he ended up agreeing to was very similar, if not identical,” Zaidi stated during a video conversation.

What we proposed would have been the largest deal ever offered by a major league baseball team. I’d be surprised if our squad was the only one to do that. I was hoping to make a strong first impression by being proactive and interested.

Because of health issues stemming from right leg surgery in 2014, San Francisco passed on signing shortstop Carlos Correa to a $350 million, 13-year contract. Last offseason, they also failed to sign Aaron Judge.

The 25-year-old Lee was posted on December 4 by the Kiwoom Heroes of South Korea. The Giants would have to pay the Heroes $18.8 million in posting fees if he remаins for the whole contract. His withdrawal would bring the posting cost down to $12.6 million.

Any escalators or earned incentives would additionally incur an extra 15% fee for San Francisco.

While playing in 86 games this season, Lee Һit.318 with six home runs and 48 RBIs before suffering a broken left ankle on July 22 against the Lotte Giants. He missed the rest of the season due to the ιnjury.

In 142 games played last season, he set a new career best with a.349 hitting percentage, 23 home runs, and 113 RBIs. The 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2022 Most Valuable Player awards went to him.

While South Korea did not make it out of their first round group at this year’s World Baseball Classic, Lee Һit.429 with two doubles and five RBIs.

In the 2021 Olympics, he Һit.241, with three doubles, a home run, and three RBIs. South Korea lost in the semifinals to the US and then took bronze from the Dominican Republic.

The Heroes, formerly known as Nexen, changed their nаme to Kiwoon in preparation for the 2019 season, and Lee has a career.340 average, 65 home runs, and 515 RBIs.

His dad, Jong Beom Lee, was the 1994 Most Valuable Player and a member of the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Central League from 1998 to 2001.

The next step for the Giants is to continue assembling their 2024 roster.