Japanese famous person ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s free company is heating up. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the three-time Sawamura Award winner, Nippon Skilled Baseball’s equal of the Cy Younger, is anticipated to start listening to presents this week.
Listed here are the seven groups that Yamamoto is anticipated to be severely contemplating and the way seemingly all of them are to really signal him.
7. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have already made the most important beginning pitcher transfer (not counting Shohei Ohtani) this offseason by re-signing Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract. Although Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is infamous for his excessive spending, it will nonetheless be troublesome to see him make investments what would seemingly find yourself being greater than $500 million in simply two beginning pitchers whereas the Phils nonetheless have vital holes within the bullpen and outfield.
There have additionally solely been two Japanese players to ever play for the Phillies. It could not imply something, however Yamamoto would in all probability need to play someplace that has a extra strong historical past and monitor document with gamers coming from NPB.
6. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have plenty of issues they should enhance, however their rotation will not be one in all them. Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi type probably the greatest beginning teams within the league. Their 2023 beginning third baseman Matt Chapman, beginning middle fielder Kevin Kiermaier, super-utilityman Whit Merrifield and setup man Jordan Hicks are all free brokers who’ve but to be re-signed.
They want to determine third base, the outfield and the bullpen earlier than including to their largest power.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Whereas the Dodgers do have a lot of cash to spend due to Ohtani’s notorious contract deferrals, a weak rotation and, most significantly, the perfect participant on this planet, Ohtani, could find yourself truly being detriments to L.A.’s pursuit of Yamamoto.
MLB Community’s Jon Morosi reported that Yamamoto “needs the large stage.”