From 7 million to 22 million, Jung Hoo Lee stays... "113 million dollars doesn't move"

Three-line summary

• Multiple outlets reported that San Francisco will not trade Jung Hoo Lee in the summer of 2026 and will instead put Heliot Ramos on the market.
• Jung Hoo Lee's contract is 6 years, 113 million dollars, through 2029, with a player opt-out clause after the 2027 season.
• He is in 5th place in National League batting average with a .301 average in 97 games in the 2026 season (.299 as of July 29, 2026).

On December 15, 2023, Jung Hoo Lee's first-year salary was 7 million dollars. It was the value assigned to the first season of his 6-year contract. By 2026, two and a half seasons later, his salary was22 million dollarsand has risen, and multiple outlets reported that the team decided not to trade him this summer. This means the numbers written in the contract are being executed in order.

On December 15, 2023, 113 million dollars and posting fee 18.825 million dollars

The San Francisco Giants officially announced a 6-year, 113 million dollar major league contract with Jung Hoo Lee that day. The signing bonus alone was5 million dollarsand the posting fee paid to Kiwoom Heroes was 18.825 million dollars. Yonhap News reported it as the largest posting contract for a Korean player, exceeding Ryu Hyun-jin's 6-year, 36 million dollar deal.

Year-by-year guaranteed salary is structured as 7 million (2024), 16 million (2025), 22 million (2026), 22 million (2027), 20.5 million (2028), 20.5 million dollars (2029). And right in the middle, a player opt-out clause is embedded at the end of the 2027 season.

AAV 18.83 million dollars, 4th among Asian player contracts

Ranking by average annual value (AAV) looks like this. 1st Shohei Ohtani 70 million dollars, 2nd Yoshinobu Yamamoto 27.083333 million dollars, 3rd is Kim Ha-seong with 20 million dollars per year with Atlanta. Jung Hoo Lee is18,833,333 dollarsin 4th place. Yu Darvish (18 million), Kodai Senga (15 million) follow (as of July 29, 2026, Spotrac).

2026 season .301 batting average, summer climb to 5th in NL

Jung Hoo Lee (27) has a batting average of in 97 games in the 2026 season.301, 6 home runs, 37 RBIs, OPS .768. 5th in National League batting average by MLB.com standards (.299 as of July 29, 2026). Since his major league debut on March 28, 2024, his career record is 296 hits, 16 home runs, 100 RBIs, .278 batting average.

Born August 20, 1998, debuted as a first-round pick by Nexen Heroes in 2017 and played 7 seasons in the KBO through 2023. Career record of 884 games with .340 batting average, 1,181 hits, 65 home runs, 515 RBIs. The team notes this is all-time 1st among players with 3,000 or more plate appearances. Rookie of the Year in 2017, 5 consecutive Gold Gloves from 2018-2022, and regular season MVP in 2022.

July 26 Nightingale report, the trade candidate is Ramos

The atmosphere changed at the end of July 2026. Before the deadline, speculation circulated that San Francisco could become a seller, and on July 26, USA Today's Bob Nightingale wrote "right fielder Jung Hoo Lee is staying." Yahoo Sports and Sporting News, responding to this, reported that the team would put Heliot Ramos (26) on the market instead of Jung Hoo Lee.

Ramos is a 2024 All-Star outfielder with a .257 average, 9 home runs, 31 RBIs in the 2026 season and a salary of 810,000 dollars this year. Sports Chosun's English version also covered this on the 27th. Jung Hoo Lee previously said "Whatever it takes to help the team out" when transitioning to right field. It means he is willing to play wherever the team needs him.

There remains the point that the opt-out is a variable. MLB.com's Mark Feinsamd said this clause could complicate trades, but team officials believe there is a greater likelihood Jung Hoo Lee will choose to honor his contract over exercising the opt-out. FOX Sports' Rowan Kavner viewed that the Giants could review handling high-value veteran contracts.

This decision to stay is not an official team announcement but rather reports from multiple outlets, and the situation could change before the deadline. Performance and standings also move game by game. However, the numbers written in the contract remain as is. There is 41 million dollars in guaranteed money remaining for 2028 and 2029 alone. The contract signed in the winter of 2023113 million dollars, that contract runs through 2029.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How long is Jung Hoo Lee's contract and what is the total amount?

A. It is 6 years, 113 million dollars from 2024 to 2029. The San Francisco Giants officially announced it on December 15, 2023, and the signing bonus is 5 million dollars.

Q. When can the opt-out be exercised?

A. After the 2027 season ends. MLB.com's Mark Feinsamd reported that team officials see a greater likelihood that Jung Hoo Lee will choose to honor his contract over exercising the opt-out.

Q. Who is the player that has been mentioned as a trade candidate instead of Jung Hoo Lee?

A. It is outfielder Heliot Ramos from the same team. He was born in 1999, is from Puerto Rico, was selected to the 2024 All-Star Game, and his 2026 salary is 810,000 dollars.

Related official websites

• San Francisco Giants official homepage — You can directly check team press releases and game schedules
• MLB.com Jung Hoo Lee official player page — You can check contract status and 2026 season statistics
• KBO Jung Hoo Lee player record page — Original KBO cumulative records from Nexen/Kiwoom era
• San Francisco Giants official X — Official news posted directly by the team

Featured image · Graphics = Whale SV · Background photo = Wikimedia Commons (Trainholic), CC BY-SA 3.0

Related materials to check

·"Batter with .309 average batting 7th"... Jung Hoo Lee, shadow of .185 in recent 15 games

·'Son of the Wind' Jung Hoo Lee, first half 100 hits .302 average... NL 5th place surge

·Jung Hoo Lee "three figures in 2 consecutive seasons"... Reached 100 hits in MLB

Wayzball Editor