The Yoshinobo Yamamoto sweepstakes are heating up.
Among MLB teams interested in the Japanese star pitcher are the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, both of whom have contract offers of over $300 million on the table for the right-hander's services, Jim Bowden of The Athletic and CBS Sports reported Saturday, citing sources.
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The former Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals general manager also noted that while Boston and San Francisco both have made a "strong recent push" for Yamamoto, there are other teams making runs, too.
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The Giants entered the offseason with their eye on both Yamamoto and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. But after Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco now is all systems go on Yamamoto after seeing yet another mega free agent slip through its grasp.
In seven NPB seasons with the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto has a career line of 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA in 897 innings pitched with 922 strikeouts to 206 walks.
Fresh off a 2023 season in which he posted a 16-6 record with an oustanding 1.21 ERA in 164 innings pitched, Yamamoto headlines a free-agent pitching class that also includes reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
Ohtani is helping the Dodgers recruit the ace to Southern California, The Athletic reported Wednesday, and it's clear plenty of other teams are interested. The Red Sox reportedly met with Yamamoto over the last week, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported.
