Will Sammon of The Athletic provided more insight today in a report on how the Mets and NPB superstar pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto might be a match made in baseball heaven.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
While there has never been a roster with two Japanese ace pitchers on a team, there’s a reason behind that. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, it’s because “of the importance of seniority in Japan’s hierarchal culture.” However, after representing team Japan in the World Baseball Clinic, Yamamoto feels more welcome to the idea of signing with a team with another Japanese pitcher. Cue Kodai Senga.
Senga reportedly “made it vocal to Mets management that he wants Yamamoto to be a Met.” He came to New York with the expectation of winning and believes the addition of Yamamoto will put them over the edge with an elite rotation and threatening one-two punch. Sammon also noted that, like Senga last season, “Yamamoto covets the opportunity to play in a large market.”
However, former GM Billy Eppler, known for signing Senga, Shohei Ohtani when he was with the Angels and Masahiro Tanaka for the Yankees, is no longer part of the puzzle. Going into the offseason, many assumed he would be the link and vital piece and putting together a presentation to persuade Yamamoto as he did with the other players he signed. On the contrary, insiders don’t even know the level of interest new president of baseball operations David Stearns has in Yamamoto.
Stearns never took a trip to Japan like so many others did to watch him play, and instead will rely on video, which he’s built his career around. Also, without Eppler, the Mets can rely on Senga as an example of how well he’s acclimated to life in the United States. Sammon pointed out that Yamamoto will go somewhere where “he will feel comfortable quickly,” and Senga’s quick success can be a guide, Eppler or not.
There will be stiff competition for Yamamoto, no question about it. The Mets, however, might just check all the boxes he’s looking for at the end of the day.
