Free agency has officially begun, which means we can finally start staring at our phones and scrolling through X with anticipation. After the Phillies’ gut-wrenching game seven NLCS loss, everyone has ideas on how to improve the roster. From trades to free-agent acquisitions, the opinions have been plentiful.
There are many players to choose from, so a big board with a list of the more desirable options has been created. The previous player placed on the board was none other than Cy Young finalist Blake Snell. Next up is the Japanese sensation and my #1 choice, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Finally posted on November 5th, the 25-year-old Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) superstar is the #2 free agent in this year’s class. He only trails the other Japanese superstar, Shohei Ohtani. Yamamoto has been the talk of baseball fans for the past few years and his 2023 campaign only made the talk get louder.
When you look at his NPB statistics, it’s no wonder he’s getting so much attention from every major league team. In the 164 innings Yamamoto pitched this season, he only allowed 117 hits, two home runs, and 28 walks to go with his staggering 1.21 ERA.
The future MLB starter has been very consistent in Japan and is coming to the United States following his best season.
Any concerns the Phillies should be aware of?
One minuscule risk in signing him is the fact that he hasn’t pitched in the major leagues yet. It’s not something I would worry about with him, however, because the NPB has phenomenal former and future MLB talent for him to pitch against. The list of players who have seen MLB success after playing in the NPB includes Shohei Ohtani, Ichiro Suzuki, Kodai Senga, Yu Darvish, and Seiya Suzuki.
The NPB has produced some incredible talent throughout the years and is sure to continue producing more. The 2022 World Baseball Classic champion would make the Phillies’ rotation lethal and is sure to be a big contributor in getting this team a parade down Broad Street. One thing to watch out for when discussing pitchers coming to Philadelphia is how many innings they typically pitch in a season.
Yamamoto pitched 164 innings in 2023, third most in his career. 2021 and 2022 saw him pitch 193 innings, which is what Nola and Wheeler pitched this season. Yamamoto has proven he can pitch a lot of innings at the NPB level and you can expect that to translate to the major leagues. Yamamoto may not have the big league experience like the other free agents yet, but the NPB is a league filled with talented players who do have that experience and he is perfectly fine against them.
What would this mean for the rotation?
Yamamoto’s contract is predicted to be about $200 million for five or six years. With Aaron Nola reportedly wanting more than that, Dombrowski and ownership will most likely have to pick one to sign.
Unless ownership decides to empty the wallet and keep Nola as well, the rotation could be Wheeler, Yamamoto, Ranger, Walker, and Sánchez. While still a filthy rotation, they would have to look to sign another pitcher.
Are the Phillies a possible landing spot?
Of all big-name players set to be free agents tomorrow, Yamamoto is the least likely to come to the city of brotherly love. The Los Angeles Dodgers and both New York teams all have a better chance to sign him, with the division rival Mets being the most likely.
The Phillies have 43 days to compete with the other contending ball clubs and need to do whatever it takes to get the Japanese superstar in Philadelphia.
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