Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue New Japanese Phenom Pitcher
The Philadelphia Phillies could be in the market for a new starting pitcher this offseason. With Aaron Nola no longer under contract and his down performance in 2023, the Phillies could look to pivot away from their long-time ace.
One name who has been of intrigue to teams across MLB this season is Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto who is currently pitching in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.
In fact, Yamamoto just threw the second no-hitter of his career on Saturday. This also comes after an incredible showing at the World Baseball Classic, one of the sport's biggest stages.
Additionally, Philadelphia was one of the teams to scout Yamamoto a few weeks ago. It's a natural fit for the Phillies.
This winter the Orix Buffaloes will post Yamamoto and teams will be able to bid on his services. The same process that Yu Darvish, Shohei Ohtani and Kodai Senga experienced when they first made the move from Japan to the United States.
Yamamoto's raw talent is exceptional. But the move from the NPL to MLB isn't so simple. While Japan boasts the world's second-best league in the world, it's just that - the second-best.
But many have made the move successfully and Yamamoto has the tools needed to successfully make the jump.
He will also likely come with a cheaper price tag than Aaron Nola, who now may be the most coveted starting pitcher on the market after Julio Urias was arrested on felony domestic violence charges.
It will be interesting to see what Yamamoto commands on the market as nearly every team looking for high-end starting pitching will be in on him.
