Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the New York Yankees’ top free agency target, got posted on the MLB portal earlier this month. Orix Buffaloes relieved him of his NPB duties and concluded the player posting process. Having said that, the competition for the Japanese ace has soared to an unimaginable level.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s agent, Joel Wolfe, earlier spoke highly of the ace pitcher and shed light on his demand in MLB. Wolfe revealed that close to 11-15 teams contacted him to enquire about Yamamoto within 24 hours of his posting on free agency. Amid raging competition, the New York Yankees finally have a timeline to follow in order to lure Yamamoto to the Bronx.
MLB Teams, Including Yankees, Asked To Approach Yoshinobu Yamamoto As Early As Next Week!
Owing to his soaring demand, Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is playing hard to get. His recent schedule of holding negotiations with teams of interest suggests the same. SNY recently reported that the pitcher’s agency has urged interested MLB teams to start approaching Yamamoto by as early as next week. Since he is in Japan at the moment, the meetings will be held in virtual mode. Once the teams Yoshinobu is interested in hearing an offer from is finalized, the pitcher will pay a visit to the United States of America to hold in-person negotiations. Having said that, SNY does not expect the free agent to rush into signing a contract.
It is highly plausible that he holds on to in-person negotiations until and after the winter’s meeting scheduled in Nashville from Dec 4-7. This means the New York Yankees might have to wait until the winter meetings conclude to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto. This could be a problem as it could stall the front office’s remaining off-season plans. Since the ace pitcher remains their top priority, Hal Steinbrenner won’t sign off on an alternative deal until he gets Yamamoto. Additionally, the competition adds a layer of unpredictability to the timeline, as negotiations may extend if multiple teams are actively pursuing Yamamoto. While the timeline can vary, it typically unfolds over a series of weeks as teams work through the details of the deal. Hopefully, the Yankees will lock the pitcher in without any extended delay or setbacks.
Yamamoto’s Team Issues Clarification Over Miscommunicated Demand!
Earlier this month, rumors originated from Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s agency suggesting that the pitcher wants to play alongside his Japanese comrades in MLB. That scared a lot of teams who did not have any Japanese players on the roster and were actively seeking Yamamoto. New York Yankees were amongst the group in jeopardy as well. However, before the smoke turned into fire, Joel Wolfe issued a clarification.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, rumors surrounding Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s sweepstakes were a clear case of miscommunications. The pitcher has no demands whatsoever with respect to a particular team he wants to feature in. The ace is open to hearing offers from each interested franchise before making a final decision. Indeed, the Yankees can breathe a sigh of relief. And work on chalking up a lucrative offer for Yamamoto.
