Shohei Ohtani’s decision to sign with the Dodgers on Sunday has shifted focus to the offseason’s second-hottest commodity: Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Given the public lengths Brian Cashman and Steve Cohen have gone to in order to secure him, much of the attention has centered on the Yankees and Mets, but The New York Post’s Jon Heyman just linked none other than the Philadelphia Phillies to the Yamamoto race for the first time since interest began to mount in the United States.
The Yankees, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, and Blue Jays were all mentioned in a Mark Feinsand tweet about Yamamoto this morning, along with one or two unnamed teams. Heyman’s follow-up, which primarily concerned the Yankees’ pursuit, casually mentioned the Phillies as one of those unnamed contenders.
For the first time this offseason, MLB Insider connects the Phillies to Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Other baseball reporters have yet to confirm Heyman’s mention of the Phillies, but Philadelphia being in the race isn’t a stretch given their deep pockets and penchant for big contracts. The Phillies’ roster has remained largely unchanged since the end of the 2023 season; their biggest move thus far has been resigning Aaron Nola, which is great for the team but doesn’t exactly move the needle in either direction.
For the first time this offseason, MLB Insider connects the Phillies to Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Other baseball reporters have yet to confirm Heyman’s mention of the Phillies, but Philadelphia being in the race isn’t a stretch given their deep pockets and penchant for big contracts. The Phillies’ roster has remained largely unchanged since the end of the 2023 season; their biggest move thus far has been resigning Aaron Nola, which is great for the team but doesn’t exactly move the needle in either direction.
The Phillies are likely to be a sleeping giant this offseason if their attention and budget are focused on Yamamoto. Despite facing fierce competition from not only division rivals, but also a team with something to prove after signing Ohtani and another that just improved their lineup tenfold with a blockbuster trade. If the Phillies are truly in this race and are successful in acquiring him, they will be even more formidable than they are now.
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