As Mets Lead Yoshinobu Yamamoto Race, Competition Heats Up Amidst Rumored $200M Free Agency

In one of the biggest free agency races MLB has seen to date, the Orix Buffaloes’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto has emerged as the most promising MLB rookie prospect of this offseason. Yamamoto has had almost all the top titans of MLB running after him. The New York Mets reportedly have their hopes set to be the winners of the contest. However, their competitors seem to have other plans.

Three teams in particular are reportedly giving the Mets the toughest competition of their lives. Intent on getting the Japanese ace to sign for them by hook or by crook, all of them have been making sweet gestures or digging up old connections to make Yamamoto feel at home. Will the Mets be able to stand by their stance till the end, given a trio is running strong in the Yoshi’s pursuit?

The trio that’s threatening the Mets’ ‘Yamamoto dreams’

MLB insider Jon Heyman suggests that numerous competing teams are of the opinion that the New York Mets are in the lead to acquire Yamamoto. “Meanwhile, multiple rival teams believe the crosstown Mets should be considered favored for Yamamoto, 25,” wrote Heyman. However, three top contenders have made the race against the Mets personal.

The Yankees, in particular, have had the worst season in the last three decades. That, paired with their need to bring back former glory by winning a World Series title, makes Yamamoto the perfect suitor to bet their greens on. They have reportedly been saving up a special jersey as a gift for Yamamoto.

Other than the Yanks, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have their own set of justified reasons to pursue Yamamoto. The Dodgers have been after another megalith, Shohei Ohtani, since his free agency market opened. Considering their dire need for starting pitchers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be a perfect replacement in case that deal does not work out.

The Red Sox have their own Japanese connection to the pitcher in the form of Masataka Yoshida. They have learned their lesson of not splurging deep in the past few seasons. The team desperately needs to bring about a dynamic change in their rotational lineup. They are running for Ohtani as well, but given the fact that Shotime will not be able to pitch for the entire 2024 season, Yamamoto looks like a safer and more affordable backup plan. However, here’s the catch. The Mets’ bid for the Japanese star comes with unique advantages.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the perfect saving grace for the Mets clubhouse

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is heading into MLB after three consecutive Sawamura wins. His friend and NPB teammate, now a Mets player, Kodai Senga, has been vouching for him since the very beginning of this season. Currently playing for the Queens, Senga might not want to miss out on the chance to play together with “Yoshi.”

Apart from his proven efficiency on the diamond, several factors make Yamamoto the perfect candidate for the Mets, according to a Rising Apple report. For starters, they will not have to make legal sacrifices to make space for his predicted $200 million contract. Previously, they had to forfeit their estimated draft capital to land Blake Snell.

Next comes the fact that Yamamoto does not have any qualifying contracts bound to his past. This is a considerable change in pace, as the Mets have reportedly never signed a free agent who has a qualified deal attached to their name. Moreover, adding the 25-year-old Japanese star will not only add to their brand value but also let them have a longstanding pitcher on the mound for the foreseeable future.

Finding a player under or around the age of 30 in the free agency market is like trying to find needles in a haystack. Clinching a 25-year-old guarantees a minimum of a decade’s worth of performances, regardless of the selected tenure.

Read More: MLB Insider Confirms More Than $200M for Yoshinobu Yamamoto as Mets and Yankees Continue to Dominate Sweepstakes

Do you think the Mets will be able to clinch Yoshinobu Yamamoto ahead of all the contenders? Let us know your take on the matter.

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