MLB Rumors: Braves-Bellinger connection, Guardians manager frontrunner, Yamamoto buzz

MLB Rumors: Yoshinobu Yamamoto wants to sign with a contender

Japanese superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to make his way to the MLB next season. The talented right-handed pitcher could command around $200 million, which is a steep price several teams appear willing to pay.

The New York Mets have been floated as potential frontrunners for a while, and it would appear their chances of luring Yamamoto to the Big Apple are strong — even with Billy Eppler, who recruited Shohei Ohtani to Los Angeles and Kodai Senga to New York, no longer with the franchise. Steve Cohen is a big spender, but more importantly, the Mets appear to have the ideal setup for Yamamoto.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, Yamamoto covets the ability to play in a big market. New York is the biggest market. And, while some Japanese players are hesitant to play with other Japanese players in the MLB due to the country's hierarchal culture, Yamamoto is known to have an open mind. Senga has also expressed a desire to play with Yamamoto to Mets leadership.

Also important to Yamamoto, according to Sammon, is the potential for swift individual success.

"People familiar with Yamamoto’s thinking suggest he wants to go where he believes he can be most successful and adjust the fastest."

The Mets have a strong track record in that regard. Senga adjusted seamlessly to the Mets' rotation last season and, by year's end, he was the team's No. 1 pitcher following the trades of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. So, it would appear that New York can put together a strong pitch based on Yamamoto's desires.

Other teams will be in the mix — the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs stand out based on Yamamoto's wishlist — but the Mets are the MLB's most aggressive spenders. If Cohen wants Yamamoto in the clubhouse, it would appear that the Mets are favorably positioned.