A new report reveals the astounding amount that teams like the New York Mets and New York Yankees might have to agree to in a potential contract for Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
After the Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani the richest contract in North American sports history, the biggest story in MLB free agency right now is about which team will land Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Despite National League Cy Young Blake Snell being available, the 25-year-old is the most coveted pitcher in this year’s market.
Related: New York Yankees ‘like their chances’ following huge meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Sunday
What makes these particular sweepstakes different than most is the fact that many of the richest teams in MLB are pursuing the three-time Nippon Professional Baseball MVP. Due to their intense interest in the rising star, it has quickly increased the projected price for his contract.
Heading into November, the expectation was that Yamamoto would land a deal in the neighborhood of $200 million. However, by December, projections jumped up to $300 million as the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers have become favorites and have no problem with engaging in a bidding war for Asia’s best pitcher.
New York Mets or Yankees may have to pay Yoshinobu Yamamoto more than $324 million
Well, it seems the price has gone up again. On Monday, SNY reported that along with the Giants and Red Sox, the Mets reportedly also put in an offer for the ace a few weeks ago before owner Steve Cohen and President David Stearns met Yamamoto in Japan.
The outlet also claims that based on recent reports and how the sweepstakes are going, Yamamoto — a player who has not thrown one pitch in MLB yet — could get a contract that surpasses the record-breaking deal the Yankees gave current ace Gerrit Cole in 2020. That deal was for nine years and $324 million.
It is a staggering sum that the organizations can only blame themselves for being willing to pay as they try to outdo one another to land the budding superstar. Shohei Ohtani’s contract also blew by the original projection of $600 million and ended up being a $700 million pact.
