Targeting Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Another Japanese Ace, Mets’ Impatience Shows In Crucial Off-Season Rebuild

2023 was supposed to be the crowning year for the New York Mets. Everything was in place for them to continue the momentum they had in 2022. Unfortunately, things reversed spectacularly. While many expected them to course correct this offseason as there were reports that they were looking at 2024 as being a transitional year. But their pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga is sending mixed signals towards that sentiment.

The Amazin’ Mets’ not-so-amazing year could have acted as a catalyst for them to invest hard this offseason. Though their payroll is already the highest in baseball, could they be looking to extend it even more to win their first title since 1986?

The New York Mets go hard after Yoshinobu Yamamoto, even with a high payroll

An executive conveyed his perception that the Mets are actively and wholeheartedly pursuing the acquisition of Japanese stars such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga, among others. “They’re not messing around,” the exec told The Post. “I don’t think they have the stomach for a year or two to get the ship turned around.”

With Kodai Senga already there, Imanaga or Yamamoto can instantly create a ‘feared’ lineup. But their high payroll could be a problem, especially the salary they’re paying to players playing elsewhere. 

The Mets are paying almost $88 million to Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to pitch somewhere else. This alone could reduce their flexibility when it comes to payroll. But this again could be the reason for their impatience as well. With the largest payroll in baseball, they do have a good core of players and Yamamoto could add to it.

Read more: Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Blake Snell? Top Reasons the Giants Should Pick the Japanese Ace

The Queens’ side may feel that a few additions to the pitching side could be enough to make them contenders again. If that is the case, they might be willing to go to any level for the 25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto. To add to it, these two players aren’t the only ones they are targeting.

The Free Agency targets of the Amazin’ Mets

Apart from Yamamoto and Imanaga, the Mets are also linked with the former Yankee Luis Severino. Though they aren’t as heavily invested in him as they are in the other two, Severino would add depth to their bullpen. 

They were looking at other pitchers as well namely, Sonny Gray until he got a qualified offer extended to him. The Mets didn’t want to lose draft capital, and Gray ended up signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.

With their transition year looking less and less like one, could the Mets turn this offseason amazing by getting Yamamoto?

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