Yoshinobu Yamamoto rumors: Yankees fumble, Ohtani impact, contract leverage

Shohei Ohtani was 'highly significant' factor at Dodgers' Yamamoto meeting

The Dodgers basically pushed all their chips to the middle of the table when Yamamoto visited their facility in Hollywood. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Bobby Miller were all present. Most importantly, however, was the arrival of Shohei Ohtani, who signed his $700 million contract with the Dodgers a little over a week ago.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, Ohtani's presence at the meeting was "highly significant." While one rival executive told the New York Post Ohtani might prefer a bigger spotlight rather than Ohtani's shadow, Yamamoto is known to have an open mind when it comes to sharing the field with another Japanese player. He could view another partnership with Ohtani, his World Baseball Classic teammate, as favorable when considering the burgeoning popularity of the Dodgers' franchise in their native country.

Yankees ignore calls as Yamamoto sweepstakes heat up

Yankees GM Brian Cashman did not respond to multiple calls and messages on Sunday, per SNY's Andy Martino. The Yanks are thought to be organizing another meeting with Yamamoto on the heels of his Saturday dinner with the Mets.

New York maintains "cautious optimism" on the Yamamoto front, but it's clear there are several contenders — some of whom might be willing to outspend Hal Steinbrenner when push comes to shove. Not only are the Red Sox and Giants being ultra-aggressive, but Mets owner Steve Cohen — who has made multiple efforts to connect to Yamamoto personally — has the deepest pockets in baseball. If it's a pure bidding war, the Mets are probably in the best position.

The Yankees would love to cap off an eventful offseason by locking Yamamoto into their rotation behind Gerrit Cole, forming arguably the best 1-2 starting punch in the American League. After last season's 82-win finish, the Yanks have already landed Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo to spice up the offense. Yamamoto would address the front office's most pressing need.