Much of the talk surrounding the MLB offseason is about Japanese pitching star Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
He is only 25 years old and looks to be the next great Japanese pitcher.
But, any team that wants to sign him will have to pay a hefty price.
Of the many teams interested in Yamamoto, the two New York teams are at the top of the list.
Both the Mets and Yankees have had meetings with Yamamoto and will be offering him a contract.
According to MLB Network, former MLB GM Steve Phillips thinks if Yamamoto comes to New York, “he’s gonna be a Met.”
“If he makes the decision he’s okay to come to New York, he’s going to be a Met.”
– @StevePhillipsGM on Yoshinobu Yamamoto pic.twitter.com/2GQ1zLItfJ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 18, 2023
The Mets seem prepared to pull out all the stops to land Yamamoto.
Phillips said that Mets owner Steve Cohen will have “one more dollar available” to sign Yamamoto.
The Mets need plenty of help, and adding another ace would be a good start.
Yamamoto is going to want to sign with a team where he feels comfortable.
With Japanese native Kodai Senga already on the Mets, he has familiarity there.
The Mets may not be prepared to compete for a World Series in 2024.
But, they can start building the foundation of a championship team this offseason.
Yamamoto may be the most hyped Japanese player since Shohei Ohtani.
Even though he does not hit, Yamamoto can have a similar impact on the mound that Ohtani has had.
It will be interesting to see the contract Yamamoto ends up signing.
But, you can bet it will be in the range of $300 million.
If the Mets are willing to pay that he could very well end up in the Big Apple.
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