According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a second meeting with the New York Yankees on Sunday following their first visit to Los Angeles a week ago. New York’s confidence comes from a massive race for Yamamoto, one of the top free agents available. But, there is one thing to be certain about. After Yamamoto met with the New York Mets owner Steve Cohen for dinner, the pitcher requested to meet with the Yankees again. Is this a good sign for fans and the Bronx Bombers?
The Chase for Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Meeting and the Meaning
On Sunday night, news broke that the Yankees met with the top free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto for a second time. These extra meetings are common when a player is whittling down his final choices, especially someone of this caliber of talent.
Yankees meeting today, which has now ended, was requested by coveted free agent righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 18, 2023
This comes after the phenom met with the Mets’ contingent for a second time over dinner – leaving many fans speculating what happened there that led to Yamamoto requesting more face-to-face time with the Yankees. While that question can’t be answered right now, the extra meeting should be a good sign for Yankee fans. It implies the three-time Pacific League MVP holds the team in high regard and wants to hear what they can offer.
The Field
The Bronx Bombers still have a long way to go before anything is set in stone. It’s been reported that multiple teams are still serious contenders with some already offering $300M+ for his services. The Yankees would be wise to follow suit. The starting rotation last season was a weakness for the organization. Besides Gerrit Cole‘s Cy Young award, the other starters never met the pre-season hype. Adding a free agent with a career 1.72 ERA in professional baseball and just entering their prime at 25 could be the type of move that jolts the rotation back to life.
Promises
In November, New York owner Hal Steinbrenner promised “big changes” were coming in the organization this offseason. So far, the team has added big names like Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo which is a great start. But making someone like Yamamoto a Yankee would help make that promise come true.
Photo Credit: © Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
