In a devastating turn of events, the New York Yankees lost Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes despite being ranked as favorites. While the Yanks and Mets earlier emerged as frontrunners, the LA Dodgers made a late entry after Shohei Ohtani decided to defer 97% of his contract value till the end of his deal.
Meanwhile, the manner in which the Yankees lost the Yamamoto sweepstakes left the fans surprised. Apparently, the team made the third-largest offer in terms of money, which is unlike the franchise’s traditional off-season approach. Now, WFAN radio host Sal Licata sparked fears that a similar scenario could unfold in the extension pursuit of superstar Juan Soto.
Sal Licata Raises Doubt On Yankees’ Intentions To Extend Juan Soto!
In a surprising turn of events, the New York Yankees apparently let Yoshinobu Yamamoto walk to the Dodgers to save $25 million. As per reports, Bronx Bombers offered a $300 million deal for 10 years and deemed it a generous offer. However, the Dodgers and even the Mets increased the stakes to $325 million. Having said that, the Yank’s reservation about putting an extra $25 million on the deal left fans and WFAN Radio host baffled. Licata, known for his candid analysis, has voiced concerns about the Bombers’ approach to securing top-tier talent in the competitive free-agent market. On his recent radio show, Licata said that Yanks’ cautious approach is alarming. “It is more in line with the Yanks that we know of recent days as opposed to the big bad Evil Empire,” added Licata.
Moreover, with Juan Soto most likely entering the free agent market at the end of the 2024 season, Licata fears a repeat of Yamamoto’s situation. Firstly, the radio host opined that not extending Soto would be a disastrous move from the Yankees. Moreover, if the money was the sole issue with Yamamoto, it’s likely that the Bombers would give a hard pass on Juan Soto as well. “I don’t have any faith that this Yankee team is going to offer the most money,” said Licata. Soto, a generational 25-year-old talent, will settle for no less than a $500 million contract. Thus, the Bronx Bombers could land at a crossroads with the outfielder. While Hal Steinbrenner previously promised to spend big, his actions widely differ from his words. Thus, Licata’s recent assessment is a major point of concern for Yankee fans.
Why Yanks Stopped At $300 Million For Yamamoto?
MLB insiders reveal that the New York Yankees had their reasons to bid low for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The word around the market is that the Yanks offered a $300 million deal for a 10-year span. They thought it was a generous offer, considering the pitcher’s lack of experience in MLB. Yamamoto is yet to debut in MLB but has been a solid force in NBP.
However, that doesn’t hold any ground. The Yankees think that signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a pure gamble move. Just because he succeeded in NPB does not mean he would emulate the same in MLB. The margin of uncertainty forced Yanks to opt for a cautious approach. Hope the fans have some clarity they perhaps needed.