The Yankees felt very good about their meeting Monday with coveted Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The problem is, they have big competition, especially from a certain recently improved team on the left coast.
True or not, word going around is that the young phenom Yamamoto may not mind the spotlight. Which would seem to favor both the Yankees and Dodgers.
There will of course be more complaints from the heartland if the Yankees or Dodgers land arguably the most sought-after nine-figure free agent from Japan, and that’s after the two marquee franchises already made the two enormous acquisitions in Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) and Juan Soto (Yankees).
There are about five other teams (listed below) still in the mix as the field that once included all the big-market teams apparently has narrowed a bit.
As for the money, while we keep suggesting Yamamoto’s price is going up (from the $200M initial estimate to close to $300M now), at least as of midweek, one interested GM said there’s been no discussion of it yet.
Another interested exec thought a decision could possibly come next week, although it may take a bit longer than that.
Here’s the latest rundown of the seven teams thought to have a reasonable chance (with odds, of course):
T1. Yankees
The contingent of Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone and Matt Blake flew to Los Angeles for their meeting with Yamamoto, and if it’s prestige and attention he seeks, they may be the choice. Steinbrenner may have limits, but he’s showing this is one of those winters where he’s determined to improve the team off its “disastrous” 82-80 season.
Odds: 2-1
T1. Dodgers
They obviously can fit Yamamoto into their budget now that Ohtani agreed to take a $2M salary for the 10 years of his $700M deal (which was valued at $437.8M by the union, thanks to the $68M a year in deferrals). The question is whether Ohtani’s presence is a plus. They obviously look like a juggernaut with Ohtani, but one rival guessed that Yamamoto might prefer a bigger share of the spotlight. “He doesn’t want to be in Ohtani’s shadow,” that rival exec speculated.
Odds: 2-1
3. Mets
The deep-pocketed team from Queens could obviously blow away the field, and Yamamoto seems to be right up new baseball president David Stearns’ alley in that he’s that rare free-agent starter who’s only 25. They obviously hit a home run with the Kodai Senga $75M deal, and Senga surely put in a good word.
Odds: 8-1
4. Giants
They showed they can win a battle for a nine-figure star when they beat out the rival Padres to sign Korean CF Jung Hoo Lee.
Odds: 15-1.
5. Red Sox
No one needs starting pitching more. They were beat out for Seth Lugo but that doesn’t mean they can’t win a bigger competition.
Odds: 18-1.
6. Phillies
If he wants to be supported by a big-time offense and cohesive clubhouse, this isn’t a bad choice. But even one Phillies person wondered how they would pull this off.
Odds: 20-1.
7. Blue Jays
They made a lot of noise in the Ohtani sweepstakes. Who knows, maybe Yusei Kikuchi can throw another sushi party.
Odds: 25-1.
8. Field
There’s no word of a Cubs or Cardinals meeting, so it’s unknown if anyone else is still in.
Odds: 100-1.
