MLB · 20 days ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 5 MLB Teams in the Mix for the Japanese Star

Zachary Cook

St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are in desperate need of starting pitching. The question is, will they want to spend the price to sign a player of Yamamoto's caliber? History suggests that some of the big spenders will likely outbid the Cardinals in this race. Still, there are multiple holes to fill in the Cardinals rotation, even after the club signed veteran Lance Lynn to shore up the backend of their staff.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Posted
Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been posted. The window to negotiate begins at 8 a.m. ET on November 21. The signing club must submit terms no later than 5 p.m. ET on January 4, 2024. Which teams will be in the mix?
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have some young, talented arms in their farm system, and it looks as though they're trying to move some for arms ready to contribute at the big league level. Gerrit Cole is coming off winning another Cy Young award, but behind him, there isn't a lot you can bank on. Yamamoto would pair well with Cole, and the Yankees have the money to spend.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox have a lot of uncertainties in their starting rotation, and signing a pitcher of the caliber of Yamamoto could change that. The Red Sox will need to make more than one splash to get back to contention, but Yamamoto certainly would help.
Los Angeles Dodgers
After another early exit in October, the Los Angeles Dodgers are ready to spend. The Dodgers are rumored to be one of the front-runners for Shohei Ohtani, and they certainly have the budget to land Yamamoto as well. Will the Dodgers open their checkbooks this offseason?
New York Mets
The New York Mets traded away Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander prior to the 2023 MLB trade deadline. There are now some open spots in their rotation after the failed experiment with the pair of future Hall of Famers. The Mets signed Kodai Senga last offseason, and he was dominant. Don't be surprised if they're in the conversation to pair him with Yamamoto.
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are in desperate need of starting pitching. The question is, will they want to spend the price to sign a player of Yamamoto's caliber? History suggests that some of the big spenders will likely outbid the Cardinals in this race. Still, there are multiple holes to fill in the Cardinals rotation, even after the club signed veteran Lance Lynn to shore up the backend of their staff.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Posted
Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been posted. The window to negotiate begins at 8 a.m. ET on November 21. The signing club must submit terms no later than 5 p.m. ET on January 4, 2024. Which teams will be in the mix?