New favorites to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto are Giants

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is one of the most sought-after players in Major League Baseball’s free agency ahead of the 2024 MLB season, and it appears that one organization has taken the lead in signing the Japanese pitcher. According to reports from MLB Network and the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Giants have emerged as frontrunners in negotiations to sign Yamamoto. The former Orix Buffaloes player was made available to American teams on 21 November, and the negotiation period will conclude in a month on 4 January 2024.

The Bizen native made 23 starts for the Buffaloes in 2023, boasting a record of 16-6. Yamamoto achieved an impressive 1.48 ERA, allowing 22 runs in 164 innings pitched. The right-handed pitcher struck out 169 of the 636 opposing batters he faced.

Yamamoto could receive a contract of 300 million dollars

Yamamoto’s last season concluded with him earning both the MVP of the Pacific League in the NPB and the Sawamura Award, presented to the best pitcher in the Japanese league. Therefore, the 25-year-old right-hander could command one of the more substantial contracts for foreign free agents. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Yamamoto could potentially secure a contract in the range of $300 million. The current contractual record for a Japanese player is held by Masahiro Tanaka, who signed a seven-year, $155 million deal.