National League Team Emerging as Favorite for Dodgers Target Yoshinobu Yamamoto

LA still remains high in the bidding war.

One of the Dodgers biggest free agent targets this winter is Japanese pitching sensation, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as they want to heavily upgrade their starting rotation. They are being aggressive in doing so, and landing Yamamoto would give them the ace-level pitcher that they covet.

However, MLB insider Jon Heyman is reporting that many rival teams believe that the New York Mets are the favorites to land Yamamoto.

"Meanwhile, multiple rival teams believe the crosstown Mets should be considered favored for Yamamoto, 25."

Per Jon Heyman via The New York Post

It seems like the bidding for Yamamoto will come down to the two New York teams and the Dodgers. The Mets have the most money in the league, and if they want him, they can offer almost any amount.

The Dodgers are heavily involved in the bidding for Yamamoto, but they are also trying to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. LA is waiting to see what happens with Ohtani before they either up their offer for Yamamoto, or back away a little bit.

There is some thought that the Dodgers could land both Yamamoto and Ohtani this offseason, which would be a massive haul for the team. Yamamoto would be a home run get for LA, and he would instantly slot in as the front-line starter of the team.

He is generally seen as the best pitcher to come from Japan and the Dodgers would love to have him. They have a history with international players, and Yamamoto would be one of the biggest signings in the history of the franchise.