Yankees Did Not Want to Pay Yamamoto More than Gerrit Cole

The New York Yankees’ pursuit of free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has ended in disappointment. Despite aggressively pursuing the 25-year-old, the Yankees’ $300 million offer fell short, with both the Mets and Dodgers offering more lucrative deals.

The Dodgers ultimately landed Yamamoto on a record-breaking 12-year, $325 million contract, making it the largest pitching contract in Major League Baseball history, surpassing Gerrit Cole’s $324 million deal.

Yankees’ Stance on the Offer

Yankees decided not to match Dodgers winning $325M bid to Yamamoto because: 1) they thought $300M was right offer, 2) they didn’t believe anyone should have a bigger deal than Gerrit Cole. NYY offered optout after 5 yrs but not a $50M signing bonus. Highly unlikely it mattered.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 23, 2023

The Yankees believed that their $300 million offer was fair, considering it matched the deal signed by Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. The team was reluctant to exceed that amount, as they didn’t want any pitcher to have a bigger contract than Cole.

According to New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, the Yankees included an opt-out clause after five years in their offer but did not offer a $50 million signing bonus. However, it is unclear whether these additional terms would have influenced Yamamoto’s decision.

Reluctance to Engage in a Bidding War

Reports suggest that the Yankees were also hesitant to engage in a bidding war with the Dodgers and Mets. SNY’s Andy Martino reported that the Yankees did not want to escalate the offer and preferred to explore other options to address their pitching depth concerns.

This decision may be attributed to the fact that Yamamoto has not thrown a single pitch in the majors, despite being regarded as the top free-agent pitcher on the market.

Yankees’ Alternative Plans

With the failure to sign Yamamoto, the Yankees will now have to turn their attention elsewhere to address their pitching needs. Trading Michael King and others to the Padres for Juan Soto has left the team with a gap in their pitching depth. The Yankees will now need to explore other potential signings or trades to strengthen their roster.

*Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto chose to sign with the Dodgers over competitive offers from the Yankees and Mets. / IMAGO Images/AFLOSPORT*

Yamamoto’s Impressive Resume

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s impressive resume makes it clear why he was in high demand during free agency. The 25-year-old pitcher is a three-time Pacific League MVP of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan. His dominance in the Japanese league caught the attention of MLB scouts, leading to his status as the top free-agent pitcher on the market.

The Risk Involved

Signing a pitcher with no major league experience to a record-breaking contract comes with inherent risks. While Yamamoto has proven himself in the Japanese league, there are no guarantees that his success will translate to the highly competitive MLB. The Yankees may have been hesitant to invest such a significant sum in a player whose performance in the majors remains unknown.

Conclusion

The New York Yankees’ pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto has come to an end as the pitcher ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 12-year, $325 million deal. Despite the Yankees’ aggressive pursuit and a $300 million offer, they were outbid by the Dodgers and the Mets.

The failure to secure Yamamoto’s services leaves the Yankees looking for alternative options to address their pitching needs. Only time will tell whether Yamamoto’s record-breaking contract will prove to be a wise investment for the Dodgers or a missed opportunity for the Yankees.

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