Teams are determined to improve their pitchers, and reports from the MLB winter meetings indicated fierce competition to sign Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are among 10 teams reportedly in the market for Yamamoto, who won both the league’s best pitcher honors of the Pacific and the Sawamura Award for the best Japanese pitcher for the third consecutive season this year.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Orix Buffaloes throws against the Hanshin Tigers during Game 6 of the Japan Series baseball championship at Kyocera Dome Osaka on November 4, 2023. (Essonne Info)
The 25-year-old is one of the youngest free agents on the market and could land a contract worth more than $300 million this season, according to MLB.com. Major league teams have until January 4 at 5 p.m. ET to sign Yamamoto following his assignment by the Orix Buffaloes.
Craig Breslow, the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer, said the club was “actively engaged” in the trade and free agent market for pitchers, without naming Yamamoto.
“It is true that it is not easy to find solutions to this problem, but it is possible to find solutions to other problems.
People walk past a display during the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, December 4, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP/Essonne Info)
“I think we need to pursue these two markets in parallel,” he added. “The only thing I can say for sure is that a controllable starting pitcher is a safe bet.
The New York Mets, home to Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga, are another club believed to be in the market for Yamamoto, as well as another Japanese free agent, Shota Imanaga, who was signed by the DeNA BayStars.
“You can never have enough pitchers, right? Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “You can never have enough pitchers, can you? “To last more than 162 matches, you need depth, and we will see what it is.
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza answers questions during the Major League Baseball winter meetings, December 4, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP/Essonne Info)
The San Francisco Giants, who are reportedly trying to sign two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, have also accelerated their search for Yamamoto, according to numerous US media reports.
USA Today, meanwhile, reported that the Yankees have made Yamamoto their No. 1 target for this season and are willing to spend big money to secure his signature.
Féliciane is one of the talented editors of Essonneinfo. She has written for the site since its launch, and has become a well-known figure in the industry for her skillful reporting and unique take on stories. Féliciane’s main hobby is traveling. His passion for travel has allowed him to write in-depth articles about cultures around the world.
2023-12-05 09:34:52
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