Braves rumors: Yamamoto pipe dream, Kelenic's fresh start, Fletcher's role

Braves rumors: Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto a realistic fit?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the next domino to fall in the MLB free agent market, and for good reason. The 25-year-old Japanese ace is a dominant force in what many consider a weak starting pitching market. The demands for controllable, young starters is high, especially those with the ability to spin it like Yamamoto.

The Dodgers and Yankees are reportedly co-favorites to sign Yamamoto, per Jon Heyman. Yamamoto loves the spotlight and wants to play in New York. However joining the LA superteam, especially as a childhood Dodgers fans, is tough to turn down. The Dodgers team pitch included the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and more. FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray opined that he believed the Dodgers will find a way to land Yamamoto.

"To me, the Dodgers are the favorites for Yamamoto. That’s not based on information from league sources, but it’s because of their need for starting pitchers and how they structured Ohtani’s contract," Murray wrote. "By deferring $68 million in each season of Ohtani’s contract, leaving his annual salary at a mere $2 million, the Dodgers have money to spend. A lot of it. That’s what Ohtani had in mind when he proposed such unprecedented deferrals."

Still, that didn't stop Call To The Pen's Beau Adams from wondering if the Braves would make a move for the Japanese ace. To do so at this point would be a surprise.

While the Braves could use another starting pitcher, Anthopoulos is more likely to add via trade considering his budget is rather small at this point in free agency. If Atlanta does sign a starter, it will not be of the $250 million - $300 million variety.