MLB overreactions: 4 teams that dodged the Yoshinobu Yamamoto bullet

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract in the offseason. The acquisition came with much fanfare, as the three-time Nippon Professional Baseball MVP joined fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani on the most expensive roster in baseball.

Yamamoto was considered the best pitcher on the market, only 25 years old with vicious off-speed pitches, high-90s heat, and a track record few pitchers his age can match. But, just one game into his MLB career, doubt is creeping into the picture.

It has been a difficult start to the Yamamoto experience on U.S. soil. He went through spring training with a paltry 8.38 ERA as batters quickly figured out his repertoire. Now, due to fear of pitch tipping, the Dodgers have Yamamoto pitching exclusively from the stretch.

Compounding nerves with mechanical changes probably isn't the best recipe. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, however, expressed confidence that Yamamoto will bounce back.

"Just didn't have the command and so it's not about the stuff. When you're a command guy, which he's been his entire career -- his life, and you just misfire, get behind in counts, hit batters, that's just not who he is. ... He's an easy guy that you know he'll bounce back from this."

Maybe it's as simple as Yamamoto letting the stage get to him. It's his first MLB start, facing a packed stadium in Seoul with $325 million worth of expectations resting on his shoulders. Or, maybe it's a deeper problem.

Either way, it's cause for concern in the Dodgers fanbase. It's too early to panic or declare Yamamoto a bust, but he quite literally had the worst debut outing for a Japanese pitcher in MLB history. He is signed to the most lucrative pitching contract ever, so he is expected to produce sooner than later.

Here are a few teams breathing a sigh of relief...

4. Mets could have paid $300 million+ for another mediocre season

The New York Mets geared their offseason plans toward the future, making one exception to negotiate with the 25-year-old ace from Japan. They whiffed. Kodai Senga's early-season injury puts New York in a squeeze, but even so, it probably feels good to not have Yamamoto's historic contract on the books.

New York could have been heading toward another season of bottom-feeding while paying Yamamoto $28 million annually. Instead, the Mets appear to be accepting their fate, or manifesting it with front office inaction. Either way, New York is charging toward disappointment. Might as well keep the books limber for splashy additions next winter, when the front office and ownership decide to get serious again.

Maybe this is oversimplifying the matter. Yamamoto is signed for 12 years, so he's not exactly a short-term investment. But, the Mets are several sweeping changes away from viable contention. Steve Cohen's pockets are deep, but this offseason is proof that even he has limits. Another failed pitching contract — this one with far more total guaranteed money than Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer — could have set back the Mets' rebuild even further.

If Yamamoto bounces back and makes New York look silly, oh well. For now, however, the Mets fanbase is happy to lambast the Dodgers' front office for outspending them.

3. Giants are perfectly happy with Blake Snell on a zero-risk contract

Why pay Yamamoto the richest contract in the history of his position when you can sign the reigning Cy Young winner — from within your own division — for $62 million over two years? There's a good chance Blake Snell is back in free agency next offseason, but the San Francisco Giants essentially landed a better pitcher with far less risk. Snell is six years older than Yamamoto and he has injury concerns in his past, but worst-case scenario, the Giants are free to move on after two years.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are looking more vulnerable than expected in the NL West. The Giants will surely get a couple opportunities to battle Yamamoto head-to-head this season. If his current trajectory continues, that could mean San Francisco gets a handful of free victories.

We should preach patience with Yamamoto. He has a lot to figure out, but the skill level is undeniable. His stuff is nasty; it all comes down to location control, mixing pitches, and holding up under pressure. The Giants are in win-now mode, though, trying desperately to keep pace with the Dodgers. Snell offers far more stability in 2024, not to mention the impending return of Robbie Ray and the continued growth of Logan Webb.

Had the Giants handed the bag to Yamamoto, that would've taken Snell off the table — even at the discount he eventually took. It could have also prevented the Giants from landing key offensive pieces like Matt Chapman or Jung Hoo Lee. So, all in all, San Francisco probably feels good right about now.

2. Yankees' tax issues would've been even worse with Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Well, we can't say the New York Yankees don't need another pitcher. A spring training injury to Gerrit Cole has slashed a hole right in the heart of New York's rotation. Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon offer a high ceiling, but an extremely unstable floor. There's no telling what those two can provide after last season.

That said, we saw the Yankees balk at Snell's asking price — repeatedly — due to tax concerns. New York has an expensive roster and there is immense pressure to re-sign Juan Soto next winter. So, rather than inflating their tax bill for short-term relief, New York has decided to roll with the current group and hope that Cole doesn't miss more than a couple of months.

Well, just imagine how grave the Yankees' tax concerns would be with Yamamoto on the books. We cannot underrate the long-term appeal of Yamamoto, but the Yankees are clearly bumping up against the upper limits of their budget. If Yamamoto can't even provide reliable, immediate impact in lieu of Gerrit Cole, then New York certainly won't regret the absence of his massive contract.

The Yankees are the Yankees, after all. There will be more opportunities to add pitching down the line as new prospects rise, trade targets become available, and free agents enter the fray. The Yankees reportedly did not want to pay Yamamoto more than Gerrit Cole, a symbol of their confidence in the reigning AL Cy Young winner. Yamamoto clearly isn't better than Cole yet, and the Yankees don't have to jump through countless financial hoops to build the roster around Cole and Yamamoto. Right now, that feels like a major crisis averted.

1. Phillies offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto the most money of all

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Dodgers' offer to Yamamoto, but the 25-year-old opted to sign on the west coast. While Philadelphia's motivation was two-fold — to improve the roster and to expand their footprint in the Asian market — right now, that is looking increasingly like a fortunate break for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies front office. .

Before Yamamoto inked his deal, the Phillies extended Aaron Nola for seven years. A couple of months later, Zack Wheeler signed a long-term deal of his own. Philadelphia now has two (very expensive) aces locked up for the next few years, with Wheeler's contract lasting through the 2027 campaign. Yamamoto would've required the Phillies to spend dangerously close to $100 million annually on three starting pitchers. While Philadelphia's front office is known to prioritize star power, that doesn't sound like the smartest asset management.

It's all good and well if all three pitchers stay healthy and perform up to expectations. The Phillies pairing their hard-hitting offense with three bonafide stars on the mound is a tantalizing thought. It doesn't work, however, if the most expensive of the three pitchers can't keep runs off the board.

In the spirit of overreaction, one can't help but feel like the Phillies avoided a rash decision that was not entirely motivated by team needs.