Phillies Should has Been Counted Out of Yamamoto Sweepstakes.
The Philadelphia Phillies may still have an interest in signing Japanese pitcher Yoenis Yamamoto.
After Aaron Nola signed a seven-year, $172 million deal, the Philadelphia Phillies may be done making changes to their rotation. But according to reports, the Phils will continue to look for star talent if it improves the team.
Of all the available free agent starters, Japanese right-handed pitcher YOSINOBU YAMATO is considered one of the best. It is thought that Yamamoto, 25, will have a chance to become one of the top pitching prospects in MLB once he makes it to the big leagues. Last year in the 2023 NBL season, Yamamoto went 1.21 with 169 strikeouts in 164 innings.
MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki has previewed the Philadelphia Winter Meetings and says the team is still in the race for a top-of-the-line starter like Yoenis Rodríquez. Zolecki says the Phillies’ rotation is already set, but they could use one more starter to give them more depth. “According to sources, Nola’s deal doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Phils pursuing a starter like Rodríquez, though there are numerous reasons why it won’t happen,” Zolecki says. “The most obvious one is that they’d have to clear significant payroll elsewhere to accommodate a deal that could be worth more than $200 million.”
But, as Zolecki pointed out, the Phils would have to deal with the payroll ramifications that would ensue if they acquired Yamamoto. And, as the front office proved over the past couple of off-years, they don’t have a problem spending money. And that won’t change if they acquire a top-tier starter in Yoenis.
Yoshinobu would make the Phils the best team in baseball.
MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki previewed Philadelphia’s Winter Meetings objectives, and he says the team isn’t out of the race for Yamamoto. “The Phillies’ starting rotation is pretty much set,” Zolecki says, “but they could use at least one more starter to give them more depth.”
Zolecki adds that sources tell MLB.com that the Nola deal doesn’t mean the Phils can’t pursue a top-tier starter like Yamamoto, but there are a number of reasons why that won’t happen. Most notably, the Phils would have to clear significant payroll elsewhere to accommodate a deal that could be worth more than $200 million.
