Yoshinobu Yamamoto is all the hot stove league can talk about these last few days. Posted on Nov. 21st, his preference for playing with a fellow Japanese player has taken center stage. But while having a compatriot must help in adjusting to a new surrounding, will it be a dealbreaker?

The 2023 offseason is focused on pitchers more than ever, and there’s rarely a club unwilling to pay his $200 million price tag. Kodai Senga of the New York Mets is even pushing his team to sign the 25-year-old as a value addition to their bullpen. But will his senpai‘s recommendation be all that it takes? Andy Martino has some thoughts.

Insider says Yoshinobu Yamamoto is not limiting himself

When Yamamoto became a free agent eligible for MLB, there was a huge list of prospective teams for the 25-year-old. Historically, a case can be made that Japanese players do not end up on the same teams. But Yamamoto is different, as SNY writer Andy Martino points out, “He would have no problem playing with a fellow Japanese player, but is certainly not limiting himself to that. That story is being blown up beyond what I understand to be the reality.”

While the ace would love to have a fellow star from the Land of the Rising Sun with him, the ultimate preference would be a team that will give him ample opportunities to pitch. Though, most teams already consider him to be a capable no.1 or 2 pitcher in their roster, he’d still want to ensure that he gets the best possible opportunity to prove himself.

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Due to his relatively young age, experts believe that Yamamoto would look to have an opt-out clause in his contract. This would enable him to file for free agency again in a few years, which means he’d probably not limit his choices. Yamamoto might look for the best irrespective of geography and a Japanese connection. And there is no shortage of options.

Nearly half the league is already after Yamamoto

Yamamoto’s agent Joel Wolfe told Kyodo News that nearly 11 to 14 teams have shown interest in the Japanese ace. He said he is “by far the player with the most interested teams that I have ever seen at the beginning of free agency.”

That nearly makes it half of the league that wants him. The list will only grow as the offseason goes on. His young age and high potential make him hugely popular in the league. With so much interest, one wonders just how high his contract value can go.

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