Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) reacts against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
Olympics: Baseball-Men Semifinal – JPN-KOR
NEW YORK — As the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes continue, the Yankees are keeping their eyes on a contingency plans.
New York is considering Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga as a fallback option if they miss out on Yamamoto, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers all have expressed interest as well.
While Imanaga doesn’t quite have the upside of the 25-year-old Yamamoto, he did enjoy success throughout his eight-year NPB career – posting a 2.66 ERA, and 1.01 WHIP across 24 starts last season for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
The latest on Yamamoto?
The Yankees reportedly feel “really good” after their Monday meeting with the Japanese right-hander. The problem is, they have big competition, especially from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As for the money, Yamamoto’s price is soaring up (from the $200M initial estimate to close to $300M now).
