Japanese Pitching Sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto Set to Shine on Monday, According to Reports

The bidding for Yoshinobu Yamamoto will begin soon. The Japanese ace is expected to be posted on Monday, with a 45-day window to negotiate with teams beginning on Tuesday. The Yankees and Mets, along with other big-market teams, are expected to pursue the 25-year-old right-hander. Yamamoto has achieved numerous accolades in his seven-year career with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Orix Buffaloes, including three Triple Crowns, three ERA titles, two Pacific League MVPs, three Sawamura Awards, a Japan Series championship, and an Olympic gold medal. This past season, Yamamoto went 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA. Speculation is that his services could cost around $200 million. The question now is where Yamamoto will land. The Yankees and Mets, in particular, could spark a bidding war. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has stated that he is not concerned about any potential impact from agent Joel Wolfe’s representation of Yamamoto on the team’s pursuit of the pitcher.