‘Appearance can be deceptive’. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a prime example of it. The Samurai Japan ace enjoys the kind of attention that only a few get. Even though he is one of the deadliest pitchers in baseball, one can’t guess it while looking at Yamamoto. A Japanese baseball expert focused on this while comparing Yamamoto to Shohei Ohtani – compatriots, who are opposites in their physical stature.

Yamamoto’s sweepstakes are getting stronger with each passing day. From dinners to sudden meetings, teams are doing everything possible to get this young man. Despite being relatively new to the MLB, a factor has positioned him as the top free-agency target this offseason.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani – Two players with different styles

Interestingly, this offseason has revolved around the two Japanese players. Two players who are wildly different from each other. While Ohtani has a large stature, Yamamoto doesn’t quite match his size. Perhaps that’s why Japanese baseball expert Bobby Valentine had this to say about Yamamoto. “When you look at him (Yamamoto), you kind of frown a little because he is slight in stature. Ohtani’s a big guy…this guy is eyeball to eyeball with me, so he’s not the guy you think of till the ball comes out of his hand.”

Valentine, though, was highly impressed by the pitching technique of Yamamoto. He noticed how the ace could go for hours without any break. But his comparison of Yamamoto and Ohtani does create an interesting picture in one’s mind.

Shotime is one of the biggest players in MLB. Standing over 6’4’’ and 210 lbs, he almost towers over the 5’10’’,  176 lbs Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani didn’t weigh so high at first. But after a poor 2020, he gained more muscle to improve his strength and hitting.

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Yamamoto, on the other hand, doesn’t have any such qualms currently. Even though MLB is on a different level, Yamamoto’s sheer strength makes him a deadly pitcher. His consistently over 95mph fastballs and a vast variety of pitches are his true qualities. Perhaps that’s why so many teams are after the Japanese ace.

The current free agency situation of the ace

As the Big Apple teams look ahead, things are getting spicy in his free agency. News had emerged recently that not only did Yamamoto have dinner with the New York Mets’ Steve Cohen, but then immediately requested the Yankees to have a second meeting with him. 

Other reports have indicated that the Boston Red Sox have offered a contract worth of $300 million to Yamamoto. This has probably set the base value of the Japan ace. Whatever the case, as it stands – Yamamoto is the “apple of everyone’s eye.” 

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