Yoshinobu Yamamoto visited New York over the weekend to meet with the New York Mets, and the Yankees are vying for his signature. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Yamamoto requested to meet with the Yankees in addition to having dinner at Steve Cohen’s private apartment.
Given that Yamamoto has met with several teams more than once, it appears that he is still unsure. The much-needed addition of another outstanding arm to complement Gerrit Cole in the rotation would be made possible by the much sought-after free agent pitcher. Carlos Rodon was signed by the Yankees to a six-year, $162 million contract last off-season, but his first season in pinstripes was lackluster.
Yamamoto, who is only 25 years old, has finished another strong JPPL season. With a 1.21 ERA across 164 innings thrown, he allowed just two home runs and 22 earned runs. 169 hitters were struck out by him. He’s a great fit for the Yankees given his age and longevity, and depending on how long the contract is, he might eventually replace the ace name.
The Yankees Are Monitoring The Situation
In the event that Yamamoto chooses to sign with another team, general manager Brian Cashman is keeping an eye on a few options. He might be a part of the Mets’ strategy because they have an endless supply of money and are working to establish their brand internationally. Even still, a number of former Japanese players have supported the Yankees, but Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ all-star squad are also quite alluring.
Yamamoto anticipates making a decision before Christmas, so this week should bring an answer. Thankfully, his eagerness to play the Yankees again on Sunday suggests that they have a good chance of winning, assuming they impressed him sufficiently.
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