Aside from Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his contract are all anyone at the Winter Meetings can talk about, it seems. Predictions began with an estimated $200 million contract, but those assessments have been tossed aside. Suddenly even $250 million doesn’t look enough. What if he touches a massive $300 million?
Such an exorbitant contract would place Yamamoto second only to Gerrit Cole on the list of biggest contracts for a pitcher. But a contract this large leads to scrutiny. What makes the Samurai Japan ace worthy of such numbers? And will he manage to live up to the hype?
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With a consistent ERA of less than 2.00 and three consecutive Sawamura Awards, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is being labeled as being possibly the “best pitcher to ever come out of Japan.” A 3 time MVP winner, Yamamoto has done all of this at the young age of 25. There’s no doubt that teams see immense potential in him.
Teams like the New York Yankees specially recruited a scout to attend every single game that Yamamoto played. Brian Cashman himself witnessed the ace throw a no-hitter in September. Apart from this, another reason why Yamamoto is getting such attention is the guarantee that he’ll become a star.
His age makes him an attractive free agent because Yamamoto is already performing like a prime player at 25. On the better side of 30, seven seasons in the NPB have generated huge talk around him. Perhaps that’s why as per The Athletic, “The Winter Meetings buzz from officials with multiple clubs is that his deal will hit record levels”.
Yamamoto’s extremely high potential coupled with a wide scope of marketability has turned him into the apple of every executive’s eye. But sometimes all that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. There is a risk that comes with Yamamoto.
Will the Ace be able to adjust in the US?
Yamamoto’s records are no doubt huge. He’s had a phenomenal career till now but things do change in the major leagues. There will be more pressure, tougher competition, and the added element of increased distance from home. Adjusting to a new culture, new baseball, and a five-man rotation takes time. How will Yamamoto handle it?
There have been many players who entered with hype but failed to recreate their magic in the grandest stage of them all. Teams will hope that a player with a $300 million contract won’t prove to be an underperformer. Especially as he is still an unproven and unknown entity in MLB.
Yamamoto comes with risks but it seems some teams are willing to take it.
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Arunima Bhanot