The Red Sox remain in contention for the highly sought-after Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but their prospects seem dim. Over the weekend, Yamamoto held subsequent meetings in New York with both the Mets and the Yankees, omitting a visit to Boston.
While Boston did engage with Yamamoto recently, as reported by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the absence of a scheduled visit raises questions about their standing in the bidding. Yamamoto, touted as a phenom, is anticipated to command a contract exceeding $300 million.
A host of competitive teams vying for Yamamoto’s talents includes the Red Sox, Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Giants. Contrary to some recent speculation indicating that offers were already on the table, ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed on Monday that Yamamoto and his agent, Joel Wolfe, urged teams to hold off on formal offers until all meetings were concluded.
Passan clarified that preliminary offers were encouraged to convey teams’ seriousness, with comprehensive proposals anticipated in the forthcoming days. The evolving negotiations add an air of anticipation to which team will secure the prized pitcher’s services.