The San Francisco Giants have been one of those teams talks about the most with the MLB Winter Meetings getting going on Sunday.
That now includes a new report from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle indicating that other teams view the Giants as the favorite to land Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
San Francisco has been linked to Yamamoto a whole heck of a lot in recent days. Our No. 2 MLB free agent behind Shohei Ohtani, at least a half-dozen teams are in on the 25-year-old pitcher. It makes sense with Giants front office head Farhan Zaidi looking for star power after a down 79-win season. It started with San Francisco hiring manager Bob Melvin away from the division-rival San Diego Padres.
But adding to a talent-stricken roster has to be in the cards this winter. It’s one of the primary reasons that the Giants are being extra active during MLB free agency.
Related: San Francisco Giants reportedly ‘prioritizing’ Shohei Ohtani in MLB free agency
Yoshinobu Yamamoto would provide San Francisco Giants with another ace
Yamamoto is looking at a contract that will likely pay him north of $200 million. He’s more than worth it. We’re talking about a youngster with a 97 mile-per-hour fastball and three other plus-level pitches. He dominated in the top league Japan has to offer, too.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto stats (in Japan): 75-30 record, 1.73 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 9.2 strikeouts per nine
San Francisco does have an ace in Logan Webb who finished second in the National League Cy Young voting this past season.
However, there is not much behind him in the Giants’ starting rotation. Sean Manaea (7-6, 4.44 ERA), Alex Wood (5-5, 4.38 ERA) and Anthony DeSclafani (4-8, 4.88 ERA) struggled big time behind Webb in Northern California last season. Manaea and Wood are currently free agents.
Whether the Giants are able to land Yamamoto remains to be seen. But the team will need to add more than one starting pitcher either via free agency or the MLB trade market.