Yoshinobu Yamamoto Free Agency Update: Insider reveals 3 'perceived favorites' to land pitcher after Shohei Ohtani deal
Yoshinobu Yamamoto could quickly come off the board with the news of Shohei Ohtani signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two sides agreed to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract.
With the best free agent now signed, free agency should start to heat up. Several teams will be pivoting to the next available player on the board, and for some teams, that is Yamamoto.
MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed the teams that are interested in the Japanese flamethrower. These teams include the New York Mets, New York Yankees, and the Dodgers.
For fans thinking the Dodgers are done spending, they are mistaken. They could still use another starting pitcher, as Ohtani will not be able to pitch until the 2025 season.
The Yankees have been aggressive in their pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They have scouted him multiple times, and general manager Brian Cashman was in attendance for the no-hitter he threw earlier in the year.
The Mets have already visited Yamamoto in Japan and would love to land the young starter. He would look great alongside his fellow countryman, Kodai Senga.
However, if Yamamoto values winning, it is uncertain how the Mets will look next season. The better choice maybe with the Dodgers or Yankees, who just traded for Juan Soto days ago.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be a gift to whichever team signs him
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a top-rated free-agent starting pitcher on the open market, and for good reason. At only 25, he is a five-time NPB All-Star, three-time Japanese Triple Crown Award winner, and three-time Eiji Sawamura Award winner, alongside multiple others. And many insiders believe that he is not done developing yet.
Over the last three seasons, he has pitched over 160 innings, thrown over 168 strikeouts, and has had an ERA under 1.67. Yamamoto's skill set is expected to transition seamlessly to Major League Baseball.
If he were to join the Dodgers, the baseball world would come unhinged. It would be one of the biggest offseasons that any team has ever had in the history of the game. With Ohtani returning to the mound in 2025, they would have one of the toughest rotations in the league.
It will be interesting to see when and with whom Yamamoto decides to sign. All three teams are intriguing options for the Japanese ace to get his career started in the big leagues.