Was Yankees’ $300 Million Yoshinobu Yamamoto Stance a Lack of Commitment? How Will It Impact Future Deals?

The New York Yankees are on the verge of recruiting a pitcher to strengthen an ailing lineup. Per reports, the Pinstripes already have their eyes fixed on two-star prospects. However, speculations around their previous pitching stance bring a certain question to mind. Will the Yankees once again make the mistake of being stubborn to the point of letting it bite back?

Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the leading prospect in 2023 before he was clinched by the Boys in Blue. The Yankees were one of the primary teams to actively pursue him. However, despite being a $7.1 billion team, their rigidity with the offered value they put on Yamamoto might have played the biggest part in their elimination from the ace’s list. Will they let history repeat itself?

New York Yankees have a fear of committing long-term

According to The Post, the New York Yankees have been reportedly eyeing another Japanese prospect, Shota Imanaga. He adds to the list that includes renowned pitcher Jordan Montgomery. MLBTR and ESPN predict that Imanaga and Montgomery will receive a deal of around $85 million for five years and $140 million for six years, respectively. Money isn’t a factor for the Bronx Bombers. But their illogical demand of clinching star players without securing a future for them is where it all goes downhill.

The Athletic reported that Yamamoto was initially offered a contract worth $300 million for ten years by the New York Yankees. It looks like a pretty decent catch, given that it’s $3 million higher than Yoshi’s current salary of $27 million. However, a deeper look into the deal offered by the New York Yankees reveals a certain stubbornness. Or is it a lack of commitment?

Ken Rosenthal of the Atheltic divulged that the Dodgers offered Yamamoto a signing fee of $50 million. He didn’t get the same offer from the Yankees. Compared to how the Pinstripes dealt with Gerrit Cole’s guaranteed offer of $324 million, the 25-year-old also missed out on the total record value for a pitcher.

Watch This Story: 25-Year-Old Japanese Sensation, Yoshinobu’s Dodgers Signing Pushed The Yankees On Their Former Position

The team was set to commit to paying out only $200 million out of their $300 million offer, letting Yamamoto have an opt-out clause beyond that. The said amount included the $46.875 million posting fee for Yoshi’s team. That brings his net worth to around $153 million under the shadow of a $300 million contract. Naturally, Yamamoto didn’t accept a low-value deal that did not help him secure a long-tenured future in MLB.

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

Fans will see whether that security comes into play in the contracts they might offer to the prospective aces. Who do you think will fit the Yankees clubhouse best? Let us know in the comments below!