Yankees Arranging Second Meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The Yankees can meet with the prized free agent as soon as Sunday.

The New York Yankees are continuing to make a push for Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, Yamamoto is expected to meet with the Bronx Bombers while he’s still in the New York area, fresh off a meeting with the New York Mets on Saturday. Martino also said that the meeting between Yamamoto and the Yankees could be as soon as Sunday.

The Yankees are expected to meet with Yoshinobu Yamamoto while he is in the New York area and the meeting could take place as soon as today, @martinonyc reports pic.twitter.com/2xYxQvNCzO

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) December 17, 2023

This time, the Yankees plan to make a stronger pitch to the 25-year-old. Kris Pursiainen of WFUV Sports reported that team captain Aaron Judge will be at the meeting, among other players. Former Yankee pitcher CC Sabathia may also attend to help convince Yamamoto to pitch in the Bronx.

Dipping into baseball: I’m hearing Aaron Judge, among others, will be at the New York Yankees’ meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

CC Sabathia is someone I’ve heard could be part of that group as well.

— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) December 17, 2023

This could possibly be in response to the aforementioned recent meeting with the Mets on Saturday, as team owner Steve Cohen hosted Yamamoto for dinner at his home. This may also explain why Martino said that the Yankees “hastily scheduled” their meeting with Yamamoto, but if Judge and Sabathia are expected to be present, then the Yankees are clearly not messing around with their negotiations.

The sweepstakes for Yamamoto have been heating up lately, as the Yankees, Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox, among others, are pursuing the Japanese phenom. 

Over the last three years in Nippon Professional Baseball, the Orix Buffaloes ace has won the Pacific League MVP, the Eiji Sawamura Award, and the Japanese Pitching Triple Crown each year. Yamamoto has until January 4, 2024 to sign a contract with a major league team.

The Yankees have already made significant upgrades in their lineup by trading for outfielders Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto. However, owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman have shown their aggressiveness and determination to build the Yankees back into a World Series contender in 2024, and look to add a crucial piece to the pitching rotation.