The New York Yankees have had hits and misses this off-season. While they acquired a generational star, Juan Soto, the front office lost the plot in the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes. The team who had eyes on the ace pitcher since before the off-season commenced, the front office failed to match the Mets and Dodgers’ gigantic offer.
Having said that, the Yankees probably had reasons to drop Yamamoto and not match the $325 million offer. However, the fans aren’t convinced with the reasoning decoded by MLB insiders. On top of that, with Juan Soto likely entering free agency at the end of 2024, the infamous Yankee fanbase is kind of losing its faith in the club’s leadership and competency to spend big.
Yankee Fans Call Franchise Cheap For Letting Yamamoto Walk To LA This Off-Season
Fresh details of the New York Yankees failed Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s pursuit have emerged. It says that Yanks deliberately let the ace pitcher walk with the LA Dodgers. While the latter topped the former’s offer of $300 million by $325 million, the Bronx Bombers decided against matching the offer. Apparently, the team believed that no pitcher in the league should have a contract larger than its ace, Gerrit Cole. Gerrit signed a $324 million back in 2019 and became the league’s highest-paid pitcher. However, Yamamoto has topped the list without even throwing a single pitch in MLB. Having said that, with Juan Soto likely entering free agency by the end of next season, the Yankee fans are now worried about his future in the Bronx.
For context, Juan Soto was acquired by the Yankees from the Padres on a one-year rental. He is set to become a free agent by the end of the 2024 MLB season. While the Bombers believe they can retain him, the chances look slim owing to his stature in the market. Having said that, owing to the Yank’s resistance in the Yamamoto sweepstakes, Yankee fans believe Soto could meet the same fate. Some supporters took to social media to call the franchise cheap and raised serious doubts over its intent to extend Soto’s stay. Currently, the team’s captain and top slugger, Aaron Judge, is contracted at $360 million. Moreover, Soto’s market value is already at $500 million. So, will the Yankees pay Juan Soto more than Judge? Fans wonder.
Yankees Attempt To Trick Yamamoto With Opt Out Failed Badly!
Interestingly, new details about the contract offered to Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the New York Yankees suggest that the latter tried to pull off a smart trick to lure the former. Apparently, the Bronx Bombers tabled a $300 million offer for a period of five years. The offer included an opt-out after five years but not a signing bonus of $50 million.
Basically, the Yankees tried to lure Yamamoto with the five-year opt-out clause, but it didn’t affect Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s end decision. He chose to land with the LA Dodgers. While the money did the trick, the presence of Shohei Ohtani also played a crucial role, as the Mets reportedly were ready to match LA’s offer.