The New York Yankees are having a great offseason so far. After an abysmal 2023 season, the NY side needed to regain the fans’ faith in them. To do that, they needed to land some superstars in the market. And this year, some really big names were available in free agency. Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cody Bellinger and some more supertstars were in free agency this year. It really can’t get better than this list of superstars as free agents at the same time in Major League Baseball. Moreover, the Yankees already got Soto for a year.
Now, they are keen on signing another international superstar this offseason. However, it is not someone who can help with hitting but pitching. As per recent rumors, the Yankees are getting close to sealing the deal of signing the Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Recently, SNY’s Andy Martino reported that owner Hal Steinbrenner and others in the Yankees front office will meet Yamamoto on Monday in Los Angeles.
Yankees Are Favorites To Land Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Moreover, Martino suggests the NY side is in a great position to land the Japanese sensation. Other teams who are looking to sign this superstar free agent are the New York Mets, the Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Red Sox. In the last seven years, the Japanese pitcher played in the Nippon Professional Baseball for the Orix Buffaloes. Yamamoto has been pretty dominant in the Japanese league. Moreover, he had a 1.82 ERA overall as he posted a 70-29 record. In 2023, Yamamoto recorded 169 strikeouts and a 1.21 ERA. Moreover, he went 16-6 this year. On top of that, Yamamoto has been a five-time All-Star and won three MVP awards in the Pacific League.
There are rumors, or reports, or I don’t know what anymore that Matsui and Tanaka will attend the Yankees’ meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in L.A. tomorrow. That is not accurate. They won’t be there. But Hal Steinbrenner and co. are in a solid position in this sweepstakes.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) December 10, 2023
He also took home three Sawamura awards. After the 2023 season, the Buffaloes officially posted him, and he’ll make his MLB debut next year. Moreover, the Yankees had been home to many famous Japanese baseball players in the past, where they developed their skills and were pretty successful. For instance, Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka were pretty popular pitchers for the Bronx Bombers. Currently, the Yankees can really make amends with Yamamoto to solidify their bullpen. He’ll be a great addition to the lineup alongside Gerrit Cole.
The Bronx Bombers Get Soto; The Dodgers Land Ohtani
Moreover, among the superstar free agents in 2023, Ohtani and Soto confirmed where they are heading. Ohtani is going nowhere as he is staying put in Los Angeles, Southern California. However, the Japanese sensation will play for a different team in LA. It is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Unicorn signed a record-breaking deal of $700 million with the Dodgers for a 10-year contract. It is great for the legacy of the Dodgers. They always had greats of the game, like Jackie Robinson, playing for a long time wearing the Dodgers uniform.
On the other hand, Juan Soto heads to New York from San Diego this offseason. He is the player the Yankees were looking for all along. And they got him for a year at least. At the end of the 2024 season, the former Padres superstar will become a free agent. Then, if things go right, the Yankees and Soto can mutually agree to sign an extension. It has been a great boost for the team’s offense. That’s where the Yankees were lacking. Now, they have got one of the best offensive players in the league. The lineup looks really good, with Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Alex Verdugo in the outfield.
