MLB insider claims Yankees GM in pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto as Shohei Ohtani deemed "difficult to acquire
Despite being hitherto unknown on this side of the Pacific, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has demonstrated that it is only a matter of time before he stakes him claim to MLB stardom.
The 25-year old plays for the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's NPB. The two-time Pacific League MVP won the honor last season after posting a league-best ERA of 1.68 alongside a 15-5 record in 26 starts. Now, the best pitcher in Japan wants to come to MLB.
"YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO. NO-HITTER. The 2nd no-no of his career, and it extends his scoreless streak to 42 innings." - Shawn Spradling
Last week, New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman was in attendance as Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed his second career no-hitter against the Chiba Lotte Marines. After a disastrous 2023 season for Cashman's side, many believe that the Bronx Bombers are best situated to ink the ace.
After the masterful performance, Cashman was asked if his team would be actively pursuing the stud. While the veteran GM was tight-lipped, some analysts seem to think that the deal is a foregone conclusion.
A source very familiar with the situation has indicated that the Yankees are poised to spend "big money" on Yamamoto. According to the source, the deal will eclipse the seven-year, $155 that Masahiro Tanaka signed with the team in 2013.
The prevailing theory is that by going hard after Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cashman and the Yankees will be able to evade some heat if they fail to sign Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, the current MLB leader in just about everything, will see his one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels expire at the end of the season. Many expect Ohtani to draw offers of up to $500 million this fall.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the Yankees is far from a foregone conclusion
While all arrows do indeed appear to point towards Cashman and the Yankees, other teams like the New York Mets are expected to make a serious play. Under MLB's Japanese Posting System, all 30 teams have 45 days to negotiate with a player. If no terms are reached, then the player will return to NPB, and not be eligible for an MLB deal until the following offseason.
While we do not know who exactly will nab Yamamoto, we can be sure that whoever does will need to pay a lot of money. For Cashman, he knows that Yankees fans expect a lot this season, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto may be the team's best option.