MLB Rumors: Making an argument for surprise team in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The table has been set for a potentially historic decision from Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He has been diligently courted by the New York franchises. The Los Angeles Dodgers leaned all the way in with star power at their meeting with the 25-year-old ace. And, lest we forget, the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays are both desperate to land a marquee free agent. Heck, the Boston Red Sox are also in the mix, with a century of prestige on their side.

But... one under-the-radar contender lurks, eager to spoil the party.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Yamamoto met with the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

Heyman points to the Yankees and Dodgers as "co-favorites" on the Yamamoto front but declares all seven teams listed above as contenders to sign the offseason's most coveted pitcher. Yamamoto, who won three straight MVP awards in Japan's NPB before being posted by the Orix Buffaloes, could come at a price point above $300 million.

The Phillies are especially interesting, mainly because we have heard them mentioned several times in the Yamamoto sweepstakes, but only on the periphery. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola anchor a tremendous Phillies rotation, and after back-to-back NLCS appearances, it's clear Philadelphia is already built to contend.

Notably, the Phillies reached their current competitive status through free agency. Few front offices west of L.A. have been more financially aggressive than Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies. In recent years, Philadelphia has lured the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos to join Bryce Harper in the City of Brotherly Love. Both J.T. Realmuto and Nola were signed to massive long-term extensions. And, now, Yamamoto could be next on the list — potentially with a contract that rivals Harper's in terms of expense.

Should the Phillies out-bid the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and other aggressive suitors, pushing past seven or eight years of guaranteed money for a pitcher who hasn't pitched one MLB inning yet? '

The answer is yes. Yes they should.

Phillies should push for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and he should earnestly consider the Phillies

Yamamoto does not have any geographic restrictions like Shohei Ohtani did six years ago. While Philadelphia doesn't have the inherent marketability of L.A. or New York, it's still a top-five sports market with a notoriously passionate fanbase.

If Yamamoto wants to compete, only the Dodgers can truly claim better odds than Philadelphia and back it up with evidence — and even then, LA has been vastly outperformed by Philadelphia in recent postseasons. If his goal is to build a legacy, what better place than Philadelphia? The fan enthusiasm is real. It's not the easiest place to pitch, and he can't expect unconditional adoration. But, as Aaron Nola or any Phillies star will tell you, there isn't a better place to play well. Philly fans hold their team to a high standard. Bryce Harper has embraced it more than most, and there's a certain appeal to the challenge of performing in front of a full and engaged crowd every night.

The Phillies should be able to woo Yamamoto with an impressive pitch, rooted in the organization's decorated history and the team's current star power. Sure, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman aren't walking through that door, but Bryce Harper is. Zack Wheeler is. I'm not sure if Yamamoto has checked the Dodgers' depth chart lately, but Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller don't exactly get fans out of bed in the morning. Philadelphia would have the best 1-2-3 punch on the mound in baseball, with Yamamoto center stage.

He could join Gerrit Cole in New York or old pal Kodai Senga in, well, also New York, but it's hard to overstate the collective talent on the Phillies' pitching staff. Combine that with the MLB's No. 8 scoring offense — which stands to improve in 2024 with a full season of Bryce Harper and a reformed Trea Turner — and Yamamoto would have the ability to win year in and year out on a team he knows will spend money when the opportunity arises.

Harper, Turner, Wheeler, Nola, and the entire core group is locked up long-term. Dombrowski and the front office commit to their dudes and the fanbase has been absolutely electric over the last two postseason runs. No team can put together a better sizzle reel than Philadelphia.

Yamamoto can join the superteam in Los Angeles or bet on Juan Soto elevating the Yankees to their accustomed glory. Those are fine, fair choices. But Philadelphia is the best sports town, with a team that has come together and embraced the city in a wholly unique way.

So, maybe he should pick the Phillies.