More Evidence Suggests Yoshinobu Yamamoto Simply Wanted to Play With Dodgers
Historically speaking, the New York Yankees find a way to get the players they want.
Very rarely did the Bronx Bombers fail to land the "Big Fish" in free agency. Their late owner, George Steinbrenner, simply would not be denied in his pursuit of any available player that could help his Yankees win.
In today's day and age, this narrative no longer applies. The Yoshinobu Yamamoto free agency encapsulates the idea perfectly.
"A comparison of the teams’ offers lends credence to the notion that Yamamoto simply might have preferred the Dodgers to any other club. The Yankees offered Yamamoto a higher average annual value than the Dodgers, an earlier opt-out, and more money in the first five years, according to sources briefed on the respective proposals."
- Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic
Ken Rosenthal from The Athletic broke down how Yamamoto ultimately spurned the offer from New York in favor of pitching for the Dodgers.
The Yankees didn't reportedly offer as much money ($300 million) as the Dodgers did ($325 million) in terms of the total value of each contract. However, Yamamoto would've made more money on average per year had he signed with the Yankees. As Rosenthal mentioned, the opt-out would've occurred earlier as well.
So...what happened?
There's plenty of room to speculate. Yamamoto might have wanted to play alongside Shohei Ohtani. The two were teammates on the Japan team which won the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The Los Angeles area has one of the biggest Japanese populations outside of Japan itself. LAX features several direct flights from L.A. to Tokyo.
New York can be a daunting place, especially for its professional athletes. The media pressure is more significant comparatively speaking to Los Angeles. There were also rumors Yamamoto grew up a Dodgers fan, presumably with former L.A. pitcher Hideo Nomo acting as a trailblazer for fellow Japanese pitchers breaking through in MLB.
However, there's a bigger picture at play. No one doubts the history of the New York Yankees. It is the most recognizable brand in the sport, and no franchise will replicate its history in the World Series: 40 appearances, 27 titles.
The Yankees' brand isn't diminishing. Rather, L.A.'s brand is increasing at a significant rate. It's been a much more successful franchise over the last decade than at any comparable period in its history. While might not hold the prestige of the Yankees from a brand-recognition perspective, no club outside of New York possesses the cachet of the Dodgers inside the baseball industry.
When it comes to Yamamoto, it was simply too good of a situation to pass up.
