The Philadelphia Phillies are now in the running for Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is looking for a record deal in 2024. Philadelphia is the latest major league club to make an offer for the Japanese star. They join a field in which the highest-ever asking price for an incoming overseas pitcher has reportedly been set.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey. Yamamoto met with the Phillies last week. Bryce Harper called him on FaceTime as part of their presentation.
The Philadelphia Phillies are the latest team to join the Yamamoto bidding war.
Yamamoto has emerged as the most coveted player available following the historic deal between two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The New York Yankees and New York Mets appear to be the frontrunners to sign him, but multiple other teams have reportedly made offers, and the Phillies are now hoping to be a dark horse in the bidding.
Yamamoto has pitched in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league for seven seasons. He is capable of displaying exceptional command over a full pitching arsenal. Yamamoto has a mid-90s fastball, a tricky splitter, and a lethal curveball. He has already won Japan’s MVP Award, the equivalent of the Cy Young, at the age of 25.
In his NPB career, which began when he was 18, he has 75 wins and a 1.82 ERA in 897 innings pitched. These accomplishments appear to be driving record-breaking offers for Yamamoto’s first MLB contract.
“Several league sources have relayed expectations that bidding will exceed the $300 million mark, which will shatter the previous record for an incoming overseas pitcher,” according to a report by R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports.
Yamamoto in the Phillies’ Rotation
While the Phillies have been relatively quiet this offseason, Yamamoto’s promise was too much for them to pass up. The Japanese ace would be an intriguing addition to the Phillies’ 2024 rotation, which is expected to be led by Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suarez. Yamamoto would be an immediate contender for the team’s top spot, but Wheeler is a proven MLB product who pitched to a 3.61 ERA, 212 strikeouts, and 13 wins in 32 games last season, not to mention three wins and a 1.95 ERA in the postseason.
Wheeler and Yamamoto combined would be a lethal two-headed monster. Phillies fans now have another reason to believe that pairing will become a reality in 2024.
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