Manny Ramirez Had An Unlimited Sushi Clause in His Contract With Kochi Fighting Dogs

Published on December 23rd, 2023 2:35 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


In January of 2017, former Major League Baseball superstar Manny Ramirez announced that he was coming out of retirement at the age of 44 to play with the Kochi Fighting Dogs of Japan's Shikoku Island League.

Ramirez, who had left Major League Baseball in 2011, was lured back to professional baseball by a lucrative contract that included a number of perks.

In addition to a hefty sum of money, Ramirez was also granted a number of other perks in his deal, including the use of a Mercedes (with a driver), optional practices, a stay at a nearby luxury hotel for as long as he was a member of the team, and a clause that provided Ramirez with as much sushi as he could eat.

That's right - Ramirez, with a self-professed love of eating, had his manager work an "unlimited sushi" clause into his contract.

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The Shikoku Island League is an independent league with just four teams, so the Kochi Fighting Dogs had to break the bank a bit to get somebody with the pedigree of Manny Ramirez to join their team.

The unusual contract worked, as Ramirez ended up playing for the team for a short time before injuring his knee.

It was quite a sight to see Ramirez playing in such a small league. The Fighting Dogs, for instance, had an all-dirt infield, which made it appear as though Ramirez was playing at a local park rather than an actual baseball stadium.

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While Ramirez didn't stay with the Fighting Dogs for very long, you can be sure that he had his share of the free sushi that was included in his contract.