Andy Martino of SNY reports that Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a superstar free agency pitcher from Japan, received an offer from the New York Mets.
The Mets made this offer a few weeks ago before flying to Japan to speak with Yamamoto, as Martino explained. But at their most recent meeting with the top pitcher, they did not provide him with another offer. However, it is anticipated that they will be “financially aggressive.”
Over the weekend, Yamamoto attended dinner at the home of Mets owner Steve Cohen. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, manager Carlos Mendoza, and head of baseball operations David Stearns attended the meal on Saturday night. On Sunday, Yamamoto met with the New York Yankees once more.
According to Martino, a number of other teams demonstrated their sincerity by making Yamamoto an offer early in the meeting. The 25-year-old may decide this week, he added in his article.
It’s no secret that Yamamoto is the Mets’ top free agent priority, as they are in desperate need of an ace at the top of their rotation. Fellow Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga has also been recruiting Yamamoto to Queens, as Mike Puma of The New York Post reported.
Yamamoto is expected to receive a contract in the $300 million range.
If the Mets miss out on Yamamoto, they will have a gaping hole in their rotation, and are not expected to pivot to Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery.
