Could Phillies Challenge the Yankees’ Continued Japanese Ace Pursuit, After Both Teams Missed Yoshinobu Yamamoto?

The Philadelphia Phillies have been quite unlucky for the past two years. They’ve been so close to glory that they could practically taste it, before things went downhill. In 2022, they played the World Series and in 2023, they almost did it again before losing the NLCS. There was one thing in common during both of these years – the Phillies’ unsatisfactory pitching, something they share with the Bronx.

Even though ace Aaron Nola performed tremendously, he lacked adequate support from the rest of the lineup. So when he became a free agent earlier in this offseason, it became more than obvious that the Phillies would try to get him back. Afterward, the team tried to go for Yoshinobu Yamamoto but failed, who signed a historic contract with the Dodgers. Yet their Japanese dreams are still alive, but the New York Yankees are dreaming as well.

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees locking horns again

The Phillies knew from the start that getting Yamamoto was a long shot in a highly competitive market. But simultaneously, the Fightin’ Phils were looking around at other Japanese pitchers. The Athletic reported that “If the Phillies fail to land Yamamoto, they could enter the mix for two other Japanese free-agent pitchers, left-hander Shota Imanaga and righty reliever Shintaro Fujinami.”

By all calculations, the Phillies should not have lost to the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLCS. Now they’re trying to ensure something like that never happens again. Their first target is Shota Imanaga – in a market filled with superstars, he has found the sweet spot of being a major backup of every team. As a result, even the New York Yankees are after this 30-year-old lefty with an absurd number of pitches up his sleeve.

While of course, the Phillies did better than the Bronx, the Yankees have given up too much pitching depth for Juan Soto. Gerrit Cole needs supporters, more than the team’s current aging veterans can provide.

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Next up from the Land of the Rising Sun is Shintaro Fujinami. Though the pitcher hasn’t had much impact in the league so far, he has quality that can be improved. Possessor of a wicked fastball that can go above 100 mph, the reliever would look to forget the 7.18 ERA season he had in 2023. While he may be useful for the desperate Yankees, do these relatively older players suit the Phillies’ strategy?

The Fightin’ Phils’ focus on young guns

The Phillies’ President Dave Dombrowski talked about his strategy in an interview with Todd Zolecki of Phillies Beat. He shared, “Some of our change, I think, is through young blood.” Then Dombrowski continued to say that his strategy is to give more time to the youth and they’re hungry for a World Series.

Yet Dombrowski was clear that having an adequate balance of veterans is important. So Imanaga can slot right into their squad as an experienced ace. Though with Nola already there, Imanaga might not get to lead the lineup but he might be the key that unlocks glory for the Phillies.

Read more: New York Yankees’ Path Forward After Getting Rejected by Yoshinobu Yamamoto