The most sought-after free agent not named Shohei Ohtani is Yamamoto.

Now that Major League Baseball’s free agency is officially open, there is no more time for dreaming, speculating, or wishful thinking. For this reason, thedailytimereads.com will be trying to determine the market for a number of the top free agents this winter throughout the course of the next few weeks.

This time, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the elite right-hander, will take the pitch. The Orix Buffaloes, his Japanese team, will be entitled to a posting fee well into the eight figures on top of any deal he signs because he will be accessible to MLB teams through the posting system. But Yamamoto won’t cost his new team a draught choice because he’s obviously not bound by MLB’s qualifying-offer system.

At barely 25 years old, Yamamoto is incredibly young to be a free agent, and he has been unstoppable in Japan. We only rated him behind Shohei Ohtani in the 2023–24 free agent class because of this. This is a portion of our article about Yamamoto:

Yamamoto has won three ERA titles, two NPB Triple Crowns, and five All-Star selections. He took home the Pacific League’s version of the MVP and Cy Young Awards last season. We believe that he is the greatest pitcher in the world who has never worn an MLB uniform. Oh, and in August, he recently celebrated turning 25. For years, talent evaluators have gushed about Yamamoto to CBS Sports, highlighting his superior mastery of a strong arsenal as the standout aspect of his skill set. About half the time, he throws a fastball in the mid-1990s. adding a high-spin curveball and a swing-and-miss splitter to balance it out. This season, at least 65% of those pitches have been hit for a strike, supporting the idea that he uses a fine-tipped brush when painting. There is plenty precedent to be optimistic about Yamamoto’s ability to make a simple change to the MLB ball and schedule. Therefore, teams have no excuse to hold off on bidding, and it is very likely that he will shatter Masahiro Tanaka’s record-breaking $155 million contract.

Who then has the best chance of winning the coveted moundsman? Expected educated guesses soon.

5. San Francisco Giants

Although the Giants have immediate concerns in the offensive department, Yamamoto’s upside makes him a valuable addition to any team. In addition, the Giants, led by Farhan Zaidi, are in dire need of star power to bolster a squad that is full of respectable supporting players but lacking the kind of standout players that elevate a team to the postseason. Of course, they also have the funds to pay Yamamoto the going wage while taking care of the deteriorating lineup.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

Despite a rotation that was a source of concern for the better part of the season, the perennially dominant Dodgers managed to post another 100-win season. Walker Buehler is expected to rejoin the team in 2024, but with his second Tommy John surgery, he is at best somewhat of an unknown. In addition, Tony Gonsolin—who also happens to be Tommy John—will probably miss the entire 2024 season due to his own TJ, while Dustin May is expected to miss at least the first half. Perhaps Clayton Kershaw, a future Hall of Famer, makes a comeback, but he’ll be recovering from shoulder surgery and will likely bring with him a noticeable lack of durability from previous seasons. Ohtani’s signing will probably be the Dodgers’ main priority, but they also have ample money to sign Yamamoto. They really need rotation support to relieve some of the load off their inexperienced starters, and in 2024, Yamamoto is the only one that meets that criteria.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are clearly in a win-now mindset, and Dave Dombrowski is known for being a force to be reckoned with when it comes to bringing in young players. Sturdy right-hander Aaron Nola is a free agent and could be allowed to depart by the Phillies despite his heavy workload and falling strikeout totals. If so, Yamamoto is the most attractive alternative on the market. You may argue that the Phillies should add a third ace to the Nola and Zack Wheeler duo even if Nola returns. There is undoubtedly a readiness to spend money.

2. New York Yankees

Under duress The Yankees will be actively pursuing Yamamoto while simultaneously looking to add a number of outfielders, according to General Manager Brian Cashman. After a catastrophic 2023, Carlos Rodón is still unknown, so the Yankees need someone like Yamamoto to partner with ace Gerrit Cole up front. The club obviously has enormous financial resources, but it is important to recognise Hal Steinbrenner’s unwillingness to utilise them completely and, more particularly, to engage in a bidding war with the owner of the team that comes next on our list. It’s difficult to label the Yanks as the early favourites, but they are definitely one to watch on Yamamoto.

1. New York Mets

David Stearns, the new president of baseball operations, has indicated that this winter, fixing the rotation will be a top goal. They parted ways with seasoned front-liners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the end of the 2023 season, and they currently have Kodai Senga and José Quintana up front. Senga in particular is a very good starter, but the Mets need more in a division that includes the Phillies and Braves. Yamamoto is undoubtedly deserving of “more.” The Mets are expected to be very aggressive in this regard given Yamamoto’s promise and the team’s obvious need for more starting pitching. Owner Steve Cohen is nothing if not an eager spender.