Yoshinobu Yamamoto has never thrown a pitch in Major League Baseball but sparked one of the more all-inclusive bicoastal bidding wars in recent memory. (Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The Yankees offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto $300 million, but it wasn’t enough. So what’s next for them?
The 25-year-old star pitcher accepted the Dodgers’ blockbuster 12-year, $325 million deal, which comes with a signing bonus of $50 million. Therefore, for a total of $375 million, Yamamoto is now theirs. Combined with the greatest baseball player on Earth, Shohei Ohtani, and the Dodgers have already reached a super-team.
Richest Pitcher in History
With the other 29 fanbases in turmoil, the Yankees may be writhing the most at this deal. They were in the ring right with the Dodgers, but ultimately felt used by Yamamoto and did not budge past $300 million. To be fair, a price of that nature for a pitcher who has never thrown a single pitch in MLB is a bit crazy. But with that being said, it’s time for them to pivot.
With Yamamoto’s signing, the other free-agent pitchers are sure to be signed shortly, as the market has now been set. The top free-agent pitchers outside of Yamamoto appear to be Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, but would the Yankees take one of these routes? Snell is coming off a Cy Young season, but he is 31, led the league in walks last season, and does not pitch deep into games. All of those factors do not add up well for the Yankees.
Reunion With Monty?
Then there’s Montgomery. He was a former Yankee, so he is familiar with the territory. However, he has admitted that there were frustrations when he was there, as they didn’t allow him to pitch to his highest caliber. Plus, he’s most likely looking for a deal north of $180 million. He’s a crafty lefty who’s proven able to win on the big stage, but would be no more than a third starter on the Yankees.
The Yankees’ rotation is not in great shape at the moment. Coming off a Cy Young season, Gerrit Cole leads the staff as their ace. After that, though, question marks arise as Carlos Rodón steps in as the number two. But a sling of injuries derailed his inaugural 2023 season and he ended up pitching abysmally.
Filling Holes
Then, Nestor Cortes would be their number three, but he has an injury history and it’s not known if he will be fully healthy. After that, Clarke Schmidt is the number four. There’s no number five after Michael King was traded to the Padres for Juan Soto. That move had to be done, but at the cost of the rotation.
Would the Yankees want to offer Frankie Montas a one-year ‘prove-it’ deal? He’s also coming off a season which was derailed by injuries, where he pitched 1 (one) inning in 2023. There’s also the trade route, with pitchers Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease reportedly being available. But the Yankees used most of their top farm pieces in the Juan Soto deal, so would they have enough to trade for one or both of those pitchers?
Ultimately, with Yamamoto going to the Dodgers, dominoes will begin to fall. The Yankees mostly have their offense covered with Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo stepping in. However, their rotation still remains a big question mark. If they are serious about contending in 2024, following an abysmal 2023 which saw them miss the playoffs, their offseason certainly cannot be finished.
