Dodgers Rumors: Yoshinobu Yamamoto Could Get Up To $300M, Says The Athletic
Next to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, the biggest name on the free agent market is Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto has until Jan. 4 to sign with a big league club, and he has multiple teams vying for his services.
This includes the Dodgers, despite manager Dave Roberts saying Tuesday he hasn’t personally met with Yamamoto – yet. The right-hander is expected to enter the United States this weekend to meet with the finalist teams. The expectation is that L.A. will be in the mix.
The front office has a major interest in landing Yamamoto this winter, and he would provide them with a front-line starter to bolster their rotation. The Dodgers’ front office has been looking all across the board to add pitching help this winter. Unlike their top trade targets, all Yamamoto would cost is money.
Of course, there has been speculation around exactly how much Yamamoto will cost. Jayson Stark of The Athletic writes that the bidding could go as high as $300 million.
“Eight years, $240 million? That seems to be the most conservative guess from interested teams at this point. But 10 years, $300 million? That would no longer shock anyone. And of course, in Yamamoto’s case, a hefty posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes, his team in Nippon Professional Baseball, will be piled on top of that deal. Now let that price tag sink in.”
Per Jayson Stark of The Athletic
Most teams would balk at that price, even the Dodgers. Depending on the cost of signing Ohtani, the Dodgers might not meet the asking price of both him and Yamamoto.
The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and both New York teams are some of the strongest contenders for Yamamoto, along with the Dodgers. Despite not pitching in the big leagues yet, Yamamoto is the most sought-after arm on the market.
Each of the last three seasons, the Sawamura award – Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award – has gone to Yamamoto. Over parts of seven seasons with the NPB’s Orix Buffaloes, he’s 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA while averaging 128 innings.
Yamamoto is only 25 years old. Whichever team lands him would have a top-of-the line starter in place for years. Some scouts have reportedly deemed him the best pitcher to come out of Japan. Considering 52 Japanese born and raised pitchers have made the leap to MLB already, that’s high praise.
Yamamoto seems likely to wait until after Ohtani signs to make his decision. The Dodgers would love to have him, but it remains to be seen if they will get their wish.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
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