MLB Rumors: Yankees-Cardinals battles coming, Astros catcher plan, Mets finalists clear

MLB Rumors: Yankees, Cardinals expected to wage free agency war for Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals are two high-profile MLB franchises coming off deeply disappointing seasons. Both franchises have high payrolls and a general desire to turn the ship around. That means aggressive free agency pushes are inevitable.

One player on a lot of radars is Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who famously pitched a no-hitter with several MLB scouts in attendance during his season across the Pacific. One such MLB scout was Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who very much wants Yamamoto in New York. According to MLB insider Jon Paul Morosi, the Yankees and Cardinals are viewed as "top suitors" for Yamamoto, with the Dodgers and Red Sox also mentioned.

Also on the radar for both New York and St. Louis is 25-year-old Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, whose nickname — The Grandson of the Wind — should make him an immediate fan favorite. Morosi compares Lee, a centerfielder, to former Braves All-Star Ender Inciarte. The Padres and Giants are listed as potential competitors in the outfield market.

Those are just a couple of the myriad international free agents that are expected to become available this offseason. It's clear the Yankees and Cardinals are both prepared to spend money to win games, and both have done their homework on free agents currently stationed overseas. We are trending toward a winter in which the Yankees and Cardinals engage in multiple high-stakes bidding wars.

Only time will tell which franchise puts together the better offseason, but fireworks are expected to fly.