MLB Rumors: Yankees 'Viewed by Many' as Yoshinobu Yamamoto Frontrunner in Free Agency
Tyler Conway@@jtylerconway
Featured Columnist IVDecember 19, 2023
The New York Yankees are reportedly "viewed by many" as the favorite to land prized Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network updated the Yamamoto sweepstakes as he nears a decision:
MLB Network @MLBNetwork"The Yankees are viewed by many as the frontrunner and I still think that is the case."<a href="https://twitter.com/jonmorosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jonmorosi</a> shares the latest on Yoshinobu Yamamoto's market. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLBNHotStove?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLBNHotStove</a> <a href="https://t.co/kjCU65KPJl">pic.twitter.com/kjCU65KPJl</a>
The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are also considered contenders for Yamamoto's services. Morosi previously reported the Philadelphia Phillies also made an offer with Bryce Harper being among the pitchmen.
Yamamoto is the remaining crown jewel of the free-agency process. The 25-year-old has won three straight Japanese Triple Crowns, made five All-Star appearances and has led the Pacific League in strikeouts four straight years. He boasts a fastball that regularly tops 95 mph and a splitter that's ready to rack up the whiffs at the big league level.
There has been speculation that Yamamoto's contract demands could top $300 million. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported deals have not quite reached that number, but Yamamoto is expected to be by far the highest-paid Japanese import in MLB history.
It's certain Yamamoto will become one of baseball's highest-paid pitchers before ever appearing in a game. Yankees star Gerrit Cole currently holds the record for the richest contract given to a starting pitcher at $324 million over nine years—assuming we're counting Shohei Ohtani's $700 million deal as a special case due to his multi-positionality.
Stephen Strasburg has the next-highest pitching guarantee at $245 million, a figure Yamamoto seems like a lock to eclipse. David Price, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke are the only other pitchers in MLB history to hit the $200 million mark, and all of them had at least one Cy Young before signing their monster deals.
