JUST IN: Top insider said Yanks will be ‘aggressive’ in bolstering rotation with or without Yamamoto

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Dec. 17: With or without Yamamoto, the Yankees will be ‘aggressive’ in bolstering their rotation (report).
In contrast to how the Mets are expected to proceed if they do not sign coveted Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the Yankees will be “aggressive” in upgrading their starting rotation whether or not they sign the 25-year-old right-hander.

“A rotation without Yamamoto would require at least one more starter, and the Yankees, at least internally, have discussed a reunion with free-agent lefty Jordan Montgomery,” Rosenthal writes in his article. “The team also could seek to build what one source described as a ‘super-charged’ bullpen.”

In terms of building that type of bullpen, Rosenthal points out that three of the best relievers on the market – Josh Hader, Jordan Hicks, and Robert Stephenson – remain unsigned.

Yamamoto meets with the Mets and Yankees again on December 17th, according to reports.
The bidding for Yamomoto is “supposed to intensify” this week, according to MLB Network insider Joel Sherman, who wrote in the New York Post on Sunday. This weekend, it appears to have gained a lot of traction.

Yamamoto met with the Mets’ brass for the second time on Saturday, according to Sherman. The 25-year-old Japanese ace dined at Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Connecticut home. In addition to Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns, manager Carlos Mendoza, and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner were present. Cohen and Stearns traveled to Japan earlier this month to meet with Yamamoto and his family.

The Mets, however, were not the only team to meet with Yamamoto this weekend. Yamamoto, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, requested a second meeting with the Yankees on Sunday evening. Yamamoto and the Bronx Bombers’ top executives met for the first time on Monday in Los Angeles, according to multiple reports.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Yankees “continue to be the favorite” to sign Yamamoto. According to Heyman, the Yankees and Dodgers are “co-favorites” to sign him.

However, the Phillies, Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Giants are among the teams interested in Yamamoto. On Saturday, sources told The Athletic’s Jim Bowden that Boston and San Francisco had made over $300 million bids for the coveted starter.

Yamamoto has until 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 4 to sign with an MLB club, but Sherman expects a deal to be finalized before Jan. 1.

Dec. 14: The Yanks are considering Imanaga as a backup option (report).
As the Yankees’ pursuit of Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto intensifies, the team is considering Yamamoto’s countryman, left-hander Shota Imanaga, as a backup option, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman in a New York Post article.

Heyman also mentioned other teams that have been linked to Imanaga, such as the Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cubs.

Imanaga, 30, is older than Yamamoto, 25, but he has a 3.18 ERA in eight seasons with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

December 11: The Yankees’remain optimistic’ about their pursuit of Yamamoto (report)
The Yankees are looking to add more star players to their roster after trading for superstar Juan Soto. According to multiple reports, a Yankees delegation was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Monday to meet with Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the meeting was scheduled to take place at Yamamoto’s agency and would have included Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone, and pitching coach Matt Blake.

According to YES Network’s Jack Curry, a source familiar with the club’s interactions with Yamamoto stated that the Yankees “remain optimistic about their pursuit” of the Japanese ace.

The Yankees and Yamamoto have long been linked, and the Soto trade is unlikely to prevent New York from going all-in on Yamamoto. Martino recently reported that the Yankees would be willing to exceed $300 million in payroll for the first time in order to sign both Soto and Yamamoto, citing conversations with “sources familiar with owner Hal Steinbrenner’s thinking.”

Yamamoto’s potential suitors could include the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, Angels, and possibly other teams.

The Yankees are interested in RHP on December 7th. Jordan Hicks (author)
Last season, Yankees relievers averaged 94.7 mph on fastballs, tied for sixth-fastest in the Majors. With the possible addition of one of the sport’s hardest throwers in 2024, that number could rise.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Yankees are interested in free-agent right-hander Jordan Hicks. The 27-year-old is coming off a season split between the Cardinals and Blue Jays in which he set career highs in ERA (3.29), strikeout rate (28.4%), and whiff rate (28.2%). His four-seamer and sinker both average more than 100 mph, and Hicks’ average fastball velocity of 101.3 mph ranked second in MLB.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, the Angels, Astros, and Rangers are among the teams interested in Hicks, who has a 3.85 career ERA over five seasons.

According to Feinsand, the Yankees’ current priority is to sign starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, once he is off the market, the Bronx Bombers may look to add Hicks to their bullpen.

Dec. 6: Are the Yankees willing to pay more than $300 million for Soto and Yamamoto?
After several days of negotiations, the Yankees and Padres agreed to send Juan Soto to New York. Soto and outfielder Trent Grisham were acquired by the Yankees in exchange for catcher Kyle Higashioka and pitchers Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, and Jhony Brito. Can the Bronx Bombers now add another star to their lineup?

The Yankees are also a top contender for free-agent righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is expected to visit the United States on Monday, according to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi.

According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Soto trade will not prevent the Yankees from going all-in on Yamamoto.

According to Martino, who cites conversations with “sources familiar with owner Hal Steinbrenner’s thinking,” the Yankees would be willing to push their payroll past $300 million for the first time in order to sign both Soto and Yamamoto.

Dec. 5: Yankees are confident about their chances in the Yamamoto sweepstakes (report)
Although they are one of many teams vying for Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Yankees appear to be optimistic about their chances ahead of their scheduled meeting with the prized free agent next week, according to Bob Klapisch of NJ.com.

Klapisch ran into one American League executive at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., who said the Bronx Bombers have been “telling people they’re ahead of the pack on Yamamoto.” “Like, a long time ahead.”

According to Klapisch, the Yankees believe their global brand will be the deciding factor in the Yamamoto sweepstakes and are already pitching Yamamoto on coming to the Bronx through Hideki Matsui, who came over from Japan to sign with the Yankees in 2002. Furthermore, New York can point to fellow Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka’s immediate success after joining the Yankees in 2014.