Should New York Yankees Pursue Japanese Star Ace?

When Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a no-hitter on September 9, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was on-hand to witness the dominant performance.

This certainly wasn’t a coincidence, as the Yankees are expected to be a major suitor for the 25-year old ace of the Orix Buffaloes, who is expected to be posted during the ensuing offseason.

Since 2021, Yamamoto’s numbers have been absolutely dazzling. In 2021, he posted a 1.39 ERA and struck out 206 batters in 193⅔ innings, ultimately winning MVP of the Pacific League. He followed this up with a 1.65 ERA with a near-identical strikeout rate in 2022, and in 2023, his ERA is currently at a microscopic 1.26 with 145 strikeouts in 143 innings. Yamamoto is just as good at limiting walks as he is at striking out batters, with a career rate of 2.1 walks per nine innings complimenting his career 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

In theory, it certainly makes sense why the Yankees would want Yamamoto. Outside of Gerrit Cole, the Yankees’ rotation has been largely inconsistent and the team will likely be moving on from Luis Severino, so Yamamoto would be filling a hole right away.

The Yankees have been no stranger to signing Japanese players, and shouldn’t be concerned with Yamamoto’s expectations. Although they signed two infamous Japanese flops in Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa, those two were in their late-20s when New York signed them. Yamamoto is instead much more comparable to Masahiro Tanaka, who was the same age as Yamamoto (25) when he signed with the Yankees; Tanaka would go on to become an instant key contributor and a fan favorite.

However, there is one possible drawback to the Yankees signing Yamamoto, which is an issue that isn’t related to Yamamoto, but instead is an issue with the Yankees. It has to do with the team’s recent allocation of money.

According to Yahoo Japan, the Yankees are prepared to give Yamamoto a deal that “significantly” exceeds the seven-year, $155 million contract Tanaka signed with the team. The issue with giving Yamamoto that kind of money is that the Yankees have more issues than the pitching staff’s inconsistency.

Notably, the Yankees have one of the worst lineups in baseball this season, which has been a bigger weakness than their pitching. They have also done very little to improve the lineup in the 2022 and 2023 offseasons, with the only moves being the notorious Josh Donaldson trade and the new contract for Aaron Judge.

Luckily, there are several superstar hitters available in free agency in upcoming years, almost all of whom would immediately improve the offense and perhaps make it among the best in the league.

In 2024, the resurgent Cody Bellinger will be available in free agency, and in 2025, the highly coveted Juan Soto will likely be available. After the 2025 season, another Japanese sensation in Munetaka Murakami will be posted. And that doesn’t even get into Shohei Ohtani, who will be the most sought-after free agent this offseason (albeit as a hitter, it is unknown when he will be able to pitch again).

Ultimately, the Yankees are in a weird position in that they’re currently not constructed as a true contender yet are only a few moves away from being one.

So, should the Yankees sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto? The answer is yes, but it shouldn’t be the only move they make.

Yamamoto alone wouldn’t fully make the Yankees a World Series contender due to the issues regarding the offense. But the 25-year old ace would help stabilize a top-heavy pitching rotation, so he is certainly a team need.

If the Yankees can make the necessary additions to the lineup alongside signing Yamamoto, they would finally be able to push the needle towards competing for a World Series title.