Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue New Japanese Phenom Pitcher

The Philadelphia Phillies could be interested in signing Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency following his no-hitter.
Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue New Japanese Phenom Pitcher
Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue New Japanese Phenom Pitcher /
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The Philadelphia Phillies could be in the market for a new starting pitcher this offseason. With Aaron Nola no longer under contract and his down performance in 2023, the Phillies could look to pivot away from their long-time ace.

One name who has been of intrigue to teams across MLB this season is Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto who is currently pitching in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.

In fact, Yamamoto just threw the second no-hitter of his career on Saturday. This also comes after an incredible showing at the World Baseball Classic, one of the sport's biggest stages. 

Additionally, Philadelphia was one of the teams to scout Yamamoto a few weeks ago. It's a natural fit for the Phillies.

This winter the Orix Buffaloes will post Yamamoto and teams will be able to bid on his services. The same process that Yu Darvish, Shohei Ohtani and Kodai Senga experienced when they first made the move from Japan to the United States. 

Yamamoto's raw talent is exceptional. But the move from the NPL to MLB isn't so simple. While Japan boasts the world's second-best league in the world, it's just that - the second-best.

But many have made the move successfully and Yamamoto has the tools needed to successfully make the jump.

He will also likely come with a cheaper price tag than Aaron Nola, who now may be the most coveted starting pitcher on the market after Julio Urias was arrested on felony domestic violence charges. 

It will be interesting to see what Yamamoto commands on the market as nearly every team looking for high-end starting pitching will be in on him.


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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl.  During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated.  Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.