The Yankees have made a $500+ million decision, and it’s one they have to make
The New York Yankees have been in hot pursuit of Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto since the offseason began and will need to make their strongest push to land him in the Bronx with stiff competition from other franchises threatening their chances.
Yankees Need to Up the Ante With Several Franchises Going All in on Yamamoto
According to Jim Bowden, the Boston Red Sox recently made Yamamoto an offer for $300 million, matching that of the San Francisco Giants, who are also in the mix to land the standout RHP
The Yankees have been active in strengthening their roster this fall. They succeeded in landing star OF Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres and have made other acquisitions that have fortified their lineups.
Pairing Yamamoto next to reigning AL Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole would make the Yankees’ pitching staff among the best in the MLB, especially with several other pitchers slated to recover from injuries in 2023, the likes of Nestor Cortes Jr. and Carlos Rodon.
Should Yamamoto get inked to a $300 million deal that the Yankees would have to offer to thwart the Giants and Red Sox, that would mark one of the ten highest free-agent deals in MLB history, depending on how many years both parties come to terms on. Three of the largest belong to Cole, Aaron Judge, and former Yankees MVP Alex Rodriguez, showing that owner Hal Steinbrenner is not afraid to break the bank to construct a championship contender.
Though a gargantuan offer for a player who has yet to show his stuff in the majors, Steinbrenner has made it clear throughout the offseason that he does not need to exceed $300 million in annual salary cap to make the Yankees a World Series threat, though the course of action the Yankees are on may say otherwise when the free agency is said and done.
Yamamoto is a hot commodity that many franchises are salivating at having the opportunity to bring on board. Reports surfaced that Shohei Ohtani will be a major force in trying to lure his fellow countryman to the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Kodai Senga has been named as an active participant in doing the same for the New York Mets.
The Giants and Red Sox have the market and a history of winning that the Yankees will need to outdo in order to turn their roster into a juggernaut once more.
