Yoshinobu Yamamoto

November 8th, 2023

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was posted to the MLB this past weekend. The Japanese all-star will immediately become an elite signing target for MLB teams. The pitcher won not one, but two Pacific League MVP Awards, three Eiji Sawamura awards (equivalent to a Cy Young award), won three triple-crowns, and threw two no-hitters, all before the age of 25.

At 5 '10 177 lbs, Yamamoto does not intimidate hitters with his size. Once they see him throw, they probably poop a little bit though. He throws with a ¾ arm slot and can ramp his fastball up to 99 mph. To compliment his fastball and delivery, his arsenal includes a cutter, curveball, and a top-notch splitter. Over the course of 6 years, his career record is 75-30 and his ERA is an astounding 1.72. Over 967 IP he has allowed just 669 hits while recording 986 strikeouts and a .915 WHIP.

The expectation is that Yamamoto will receive a contract north of $200 million before throwing a single pitch in the MLB. If Yamamoto is prioritizing money, he will likely be signed to a big-market team. This likely leaves the Mets and Yankees fighting over him. The Dodgers are likely to land Ohtani who will eat up a lot of their cap space, the Padres took out loans just to miss the playoffs, and the Rangers just won the World Series after spending a ton of money. My prediction is that Yamamoto signs with New York. Whether that be the Yankees or the Mets, I’m not sure.