MLB Insider Reveals D-backs Interest In Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has become the most sought after starting pitcher in the free agent market after the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional League announced their intent to post him. Yamamoto is expected to sign for more than $200 million, and with at least 25 teams looking to quickly upgrade their rotation there is no shortage of suitors. In his latest article in the New York Post, MLB Insider Jon Heyman links the 25-year-old right-hander to every big market club plus the Diamondbacks and Tigers.

Buster Olney of ESPN reports on X that Yamamoto is expected to be posted on Monday, meaning the 45 day window to sign him would start on Tuesday, November 21st.

The D-backs interest in Yamamoto comes as they cast a wide net trying to upgrade their rotation. Arizona utilized only three starting pitchers in the postseason, which put extra stress on their bullpen and contributed to their World Series loss. Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Brandon Pfaadt are locks for the Opening Day rotation, but after those three there is a lot less certainty.

The organization has several MLB ready arms in Tommy Henry, Slade Cecconi, Bryce Jarvis, Ryne Nelson, and Blake Walston to turn to. Nelson has 30 major leagues starts and 162 innings, while Henry has made 25 starts, throwing 136 innings. Nelson's results were inconsistent this year, resulting in a 5.31 ERA. Henry got by with spotty peripherals, posting a 4.88 FIP against his 4.15 ERA. His season ended with an elbow injury but he was ready to pitch in the postseason if the team needed him. The other hurlers have much less experience and are unproven. Adding a more experienced arm would allows the D-backs to slide their less proven arms to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation.

At his age, Yamamoto provides a less risky alternative to sign to a big contract than some of the top free agents out of MLB. Other top free agent starters such as Aaron Nola, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery are all in their 30s, which in itself presents a lot of downside on the back half of the contract. One such example of that downside would be Patrick Corbin, who signed a 6-year, $140 million contract with the Washington Nationals after the 2018 season. Corbin keyed the Nationals 2019 World Series championship run but has struggled to be an effective starter with a 5.75 ERA since the start of the 2021 season.

Heyman puts out the possibility that Yamamoto may prefer signing with a West Coast team, as was the case with Shohei Ohtani six years ago, which would put the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres near the top of potential suitors. The question is does Arizona have the financial muscle to outbid the Dodgers, who are desperate to avenge back-to-back embarrassing playoff exits to division rivals, or the Giants, who are desperate to land a marquee free agent? It will depend on how much they are able to spend. If their payroll budget is in the $120-125 million range, it's unlikely they will be able to add Yamamoto, but if it goes higher than that, then the possibility increases.