Aaron Nola is joined by Phillies' general manager Sam Fuld (left) and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski (right) to talk about his new seven year, $172 million contract during a press conference at Citizens Bank Park Monday, Nov. 20, 2023.
Phillies meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto amid Yankees, Dodgers interest
Will Yoshinobu Yamamoto end up in a Phillies uniform?
The Philadelphia Phillies had an impressive end to the 2023 MLB season. Philadelphia finished the year as the NDLS Champs and took the Arizona Diamondbacks to the seven games in the NLCS. The Phillies are serious about making a deeper run, as the team is meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto amid the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers’ interest in the star.
The Phillies are in the competitive mix for Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yamamoto has a scheduled meeting with the Phillies on Thursday, per John Heyman. The Japanese pitcher would be a great addition to an already competitive Philly team.
The Phillies boast one of the best-starting pitchers in the league. Zach Wheeler finished the season with a W-L of 13-6, an ERA of 3.61, 212 strikeouts (top 10 in the MLB), and a WHIP of 1.08 (8th). If Philadelphia can retain Wheeler and add Yamamoto, then opposing teams could be in trouble.
In Japan, Yamamoto led the NPB in wins, ERA, and strikeouts for three consecutive years. Thus, the 25-year-old earned three straight Eiji Sawamura Awards, Japan’s equivalent to the Cy Young Award.
Could the Phillies find a way to sign Yamamoto and have one of the best one-two-punch pitchers in the league?
Philadelphia has to overcome the might of the Yankees and Dodgers, who have a lot of pull with free agents. Los Angeles already signed Shohei Ohtani, which could be a major selling point for Yamamoto. Ohtani and Yamamoto were teammates on Team Japan during its World Baseball Classic championship run.
All in all, fans are anxious to know if Yamamoto will wear a Phillies uniform in 2024.
