MLB insider outlines why Yankees are favorites to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto: "He is the opposite of Shohei Ohtani"
Although the major story of the offseason may belong to Shohei Ohtani, the most intriguing name on the free agent market may be Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old pitcher, who was officially posted by his NPB team, the Orix Buffaloes, might have the highest upside of any pitcher on the free-agent market.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto accomplished nearly everything during his time in Japan, winning the Pacific League MVP twice, the Eiji Sawamura Award (similar to the Cy Young Award) three times, and the Japanese Triple Crown three times as the leader in wins, ERAs, and strikeouts.
"When it comes to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, "the Yankees will try to make this happen with a very attractive offer," says @flash17yes" - @YESNetwork
If his incredible track record and talent can translate to the MLB, there is no denying that he could become one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. This incredible upside has teams lining up to try and land the potential All-Star while they can.
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the New York Yankees could be serious contenders to land Yamamoto. While the organization has a rich history, Nightengale believes that all of the perks that come along with playing in New York City are intriguing to the young pitcher.
"I think they're (the Yankees) the favorites for Yamamoto" @BNightengale thinks Yamamoto is "the opposite of Shohei, he wants the spotlight" - @FoulTerritoryTV
"He is the opposite of Shohei Ohtani, he wants the spotlight," Nightengale said in a recent interview on the popular baseball channel Foul Territory.
It's believed that Yoshinobu wants everything that the city has to offer, from fashion to bright lights and publicity. This also led to him not ruling out the New York Mets for that very reason.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto might need to wait until Shohei Ohtani signs with a club
Although Yamamoto is one of the most sought-after starting pitchers on the open market, there is a chance that Shohei Ohtani's ongoing contract negotiations are blocking him from signing. Many of the clubs looking to sign Yamamoto have also expressed interest in signing Ohtani, so the fate of both players are likely connected.
"The record for largest contract for a Japanese player in MLB history is Masahiro Tanaka’s 7 years, $155m. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to shatter that. (And then Shohei Ohtani will shatter THAT)" - @Shawn_Spradling