Dodgers News: Insider Reveals Timeline for Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Free Agency
Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto is among the top-tier free-agent starting pitchers who are available this offseason, and he has no shortage of suitors. Many see him as the best pitcher to come out of Japan, and he is expected to receive a large contract when all is said and done.
The Dodgers are one of the main teams in on him, and they believe he could fulfill their need for a front-line starter this winter. He has electric stuff on the mound, and he is just 25 years old still, so the team could build around him for the foreseeable future.
He was recently posted to begin negotiating with MLB squads, but he only has until January 4 to sign a deal. If no deal is had, he will head back to Japan, but the expectation is that he will sign well before the deadline.
Insider Andy Martino of SNY revealed the timeline for how Yamamoto will go about making his free agency decision.
“Highly coveted Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will begin meeting with interested teams via phone or Zoom next week, as he is expected to travel back to Japan, according to two league sources briefed on his free agency process.”
Per Andy Martino of SNY
It has already been reported that he will likely wait until around or after the winter meetings to make his decision. He plans to narrow things down from his initial meetings and, then will meet with the finalist teams in person at the winter meeting, according to Martino.
There is some thought that Yamamoto is waiting for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to decide where he wants to go, and depending on where that is, he may try to follow him there. This would back up the thinking that the Dodgers are going after both Yamamoto and Ohtani this offseason.
With the hard deadline for Yamamoto to sign, his market will likely develop very quickly. The Dodgers will need to be proactive in trying to land him, otherwise, they run the risk of losing out on his services.
The Dodgers know that they need to upgrade their rotation this offseason after a tough season a year ago. They have the money to make it happen, now they need to make good on their plan to make it happen.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
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