Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a right-handed pitcher from Japan, is the most sought-after player available in MLB free agency.
There seems to be a clear favorite for the heralded ace amid circulating MLB rumors about contract offers and reports of a bidding war between the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
Throughout the entire Nippon Professional Baseball season, MLB scouts and executives were drawn to the 25-year-old pitcher. Months before he was put up for bid, Yamamoto was being watched by every Major League team, and he turned in one of his best seasons to date.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto stats 2023: 1.16 ERA, 176-28 K-BB, 0.86 WHIP, 6.3 H/9 in 171 innings pitched
Yamamoto made the NPB All-Star team five times, won the Pacific League MVP award three times, and has been the best pitcher in the league for the past four years in Japan. He led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts for three straight seasons. He also threw no-hitters in front of MLB executives this season.
Although Yamamoto is free to sign with any MLB team through January 4th, it is unlikely that his free agency will run through December. In MLB free agency, the highly-coveted starter is the big domino, and players like Blake Snell are waiting for him to sign.
In the next days, Yamamoto will get offers from the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Yankees, and Mets. Nevertheless, most MLB teams predict that one team will win.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s career statistics are as follows: 967.2 innings pitched, 1.72 ERA, 4.56 SO/BB, 6.2 H/9, 0.3 HR/9, and 986 strikeouts.
Based on reports covering the situation, it’s not too surprising that the Yankees are the favorite. The front office is preparing the next move that would move the team in a more economical direction in the event that Yamamoto is not signed by the Mets. The Yankees, on the other hand, have made it a point to be aggressive, which includes building their roster in an unusual way.
Although there is a strong likelihood that the Dodgers will sign Shohei Ohtani, many in the league also believed that Blake Snell would sign with them, even though the Yankees are the clear favorites to sign Yamamoto. Thankfully, a decision won’t be made for a while.