The free agency hums are not going to silence soon. One of the most talked about subjects is Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But in a situation where usually teams chase the players, this time, the coveted free agent himself has called for an encore. What could this potentially mean?
On Sunday, it was heard that Yoshi would be having a second meeting with the New York Yankees soon after his encounter number two with the New York Mets. Should Yamamoto decide to join the Yankees, it would immediately shift the dynamics of power in the American League. With the recent addition of Juan Soto to their roster this offseason, the Yankees maintain “cautious optimism” about a new deal.
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Jon Heyman, of The Post, tweeted about the second in-person talk that the New York Yankees held with Yamamoto. He stated, “Yankees meeting today, which has now ended, was requested by coveted free agent righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.” It is worth wondering what led Yoshi to take this call. Is he really considering entering the Bronx?
Yankees meeting today, which has now ended, was requested by coveted free agent righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 18, 2023
If ‘YamaSoto’ comes to fruition for the Yanks, the 2024 lineup for the club would be off the charts. There’s reason to believe that this approach is mutual, because a source close to the club said, “they like their chances.” Let’s not forget, after all, the follow-up meeting was Yamamoto’s decree. In fact, having the limelight-loving Japanese in the Bronx could help them re-surge to their long-lost glory.
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Their first meeting with the ace took place last Monday in Southern California. It’s worth mentioning, as per nypost.com, “The Yankees’ traveling group included owner Hal Steinbrenner, general manager Brian Cashman, team president Randy Levine, manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake.” Though there’s an air of optimism about this subject, there is another side to the coin.
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Eying East – Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Duet With the Mets In Addition to the Yankees
The NYY is not the only East Coast team that the Eiji Sawamura Award winner is considering. Yamamoto met with the contingents of the New York Mets a night before meeting with the Yanks again. The rendezvous happened at the team owner Steve Cohen’s home in Greenwich, Connecticut, per sources. This calls for a mention of how their first meeting went.
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Cohen and the Mets’ President of Baseball Operations David Stearns validated their seriousness of the 25-year-old’s pursuit to another level. They traveled to Japan for a face-to-face meeting with the right-hander ahead of the winter meetings. The Mets view the 5× NPB All-Star as a key figure who can lead their pitching rotation and contribute to the team’s global brand growth.
This presents a compelling argument to pursue him vigorously. In this tug of war, it is intriguing to see which cross-town rival wins.