Slugger Dae-ho Lee has decided to return to his native Korea, according to Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency (Twitter links). Lee will receive a $12.9MM guarantee over four years from his first professional team, the Lotte Giants, representing a record contract for the Korea Baseball Organization.
Lee, 34, came to the majors last year after joining the Mariners on a minor-league deal. He made the roster and ultimately provided the organization with 14 long balls and a .253/.312/.428 batting line over 317 plate appearances.
While that represented a solid effort for a player transitioning to the majors at this late stage of his career, there are obviously some limitations.