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Latest On Yankees’, Mets’ Failed Pursuits Of Yoshinobu Yamamoto

By Nick Deeds | December 22, 2023 at 8:30pm CDT

The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes ended late last night when the 25-year-old right-hander agreed to a 12-year deal with the Dodgers worth $325MM. The massive figure is a record for free agent pitchers (aside from two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani’s $700MM deal with LA earlier this month) as Yamamoto slightly surpassed Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324MM guarantee with the Yankees.

Among the most aggressive suitors for Yamamoto’s services aside from the Dodgers were the two New York teams. Both the Yankees and Mets met with Yamamoto multiple times and reportedly made offers that appeared to match or even exceed LA’s in terms of aggressiveness. Previous reporting indicated that the Mets offered Yamamoto a matching $325MM guarantee while the Yankees offered $300MM over just ten years, boosting the deal’s average annual value to $30MM. In the aftermath of Yamamoto’s decision to head to Los Angeles, more details regarding both clubs’ ultimately fruitless pursuits of the right-hander have come to light.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Yankees’ offer to Yamamoto exceeded that of the Dodgers’ in a few key areas despite offering $25MM less in terms of total guarantee. In addition to the aforementioned higher AAV, Rosenthal indicates the Yankees were willing to offer Yamamoto opt-out opportunities after the 2028 and 2032 seasons, both one year earlier than the opt-out opportunities he received in his contract out west. The differences in those offers are more meaningful than they may immediately appear. Had Yamamoto signed in the Bronx, he would have had the opportunity to hit free agency for a second time before his 30th birthday, while his deal with the Dodgers will offer him his first chance to opt-out after his age-30 season. Generally, players younger than 30 are widely considered to be far more attractive candidates for long-term deals than those older.

In addition to the potentially more lucrative opt-out situation, the Yankees’ offer to Yamamoto was not back-loaded, as his deal with the Dodgers reportedly is. That the contract Yamamoto ultimately agreed to is back-loaded is no small factor; not only does that mean that the deal’s present day value is diminished somewhat, it also means Yamamoto would be leaving a larger portion of his guaranteed money on the table by opting out of his contract with the Dodgers. No such concern would exist with the Yankees’ offer.

For the Mets’ part, Mike Puma of the New York Post indicates that the club’s 12-year, $325MM offer to Yamamoto was “among the first received” by the right-hander, and that the club was not offered the chance to improve upon that offer. Puma goes on to note, however, that the club may not have significantly raised their bid above that $325MM figure due to the roughly $50MM posting fee the club would have owed to Yamamoto’s NPB team, the Orix Buffaloes, had a deal come together.

The Mets have long been expected to largely avoid top-of-the-market bidding wars for starting pitchers this offseason if they were to miss on Yamamoto, and club owner Steve Cohen seemingly confirmed that stance in conversation with reporters today. As relayed by Puma, Cohen discussed a more cautious approach to free agency this offseason than in previous seasons under his ownership.

“We’re going to be thoughtful and not impulsive and thinking about sustainability over the intermediate long-term, but not focused on winning the headlines over the next week,” Cohen said. “I think there’s a couple of ways to build a team… We’ll build it. It will happen. Slowly and surely you will see changes and improvements.”

Such a measure approach to the 2023-24 offseason has seemed to be a possibility in Queens ever since veteran right-hander Max Scherzer indicated last summer that the club viewed 2024 as “a kind of transitory year” with 2025 and 2026 as the club’s true focus in terms of returning to contention. Since then, the club’s pursuit of Yamamoto has largely taken center stage as the club has made smaller moves on the periphery, adding Luis Severino and Joey Wendle in free agency while picking up Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor in trade.

One factor that may have helped the Dodgers in their pursuit of Yamamoto, as discussed by Rosenthal, is the $50MM signing bonus he’ll receive as part of the contract. Rosenthal notes that Yamamoto’s bonus, paid entirely in 2024, would not be subject to California state taxes so long as he is not a resident of the state. That structure reportedly could save the right-hander as much as $7.2MM. Perhaps even more valuable than that savings would be the Dodgers’ unique position to accommodate his transition to the majors. NPB teams typically use six-man rotations with starters expected to pitch just once a week, making the move to MLB a significant jump in workload for overseas arms.

As noted by Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times, the Dodgers are all but guaranteed to plan on a six-man rotation for the 2025 season given the expected return of Ohtani to the mound that season. The lessened workload could help Yamamoto stay healthy throughout his big league career, which DiGiovanna relays is perhaps the primary concern of scouts regarding his future in the majors thanks to his undersized 5’10”, 176lb frame. Of course, there’s no guarantee that such an arrangement will be the plan for the Dodgers in 2024, when Ohtani will be rehabbing UCL surgery. Even so, DiGiovanna notes that the Dodgers’ starters appeared on regular rest in just 42 regular season games last season, leaving the door open for Yamamoto to get extra days of rest built into his schedule even if the club doesn’t go with a proper six-man rotation.

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182 Comments

  1. Yankee Clipper

    1 year ago

    Boils down to this: Yamamoto isn’t stupid; he saw his opportunity to win with the LAD was greater than with either NY team and it afforded him the opportunity to play with countryman Ohtani.

    Nobody can blame him, but nobody can blame the Yankees or Mets in their pursuit. I love to hate on Cashman but it appears they took a legitimate shot at landing him.

    54
    Reply
    • Shadow_Banned

      1 year ago

      Cashman: “We’re the Yankees”

      Yamamoto: So…?

      28
      Reply
      • DCartrow

        1 year ago

        You forgot Yamamoto’s other response:

        “LOL Mets”

        39
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        • tangerinepony

          1 year ago

          Yep right after he took a crap and flushed that offer from the Mets down the toilet

          Reply
        • bluetooth2

          1 year ago

          It’s time to move on Yamamoto is useless to the Mets now let’s forget about him

          1
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        • drasco036

          1 year ago

          It was my understanding that Yamamoto wasn’t going to go to any team that was considered the “little brother” which meant no Mets.

          Reply
      • Yankee Clipper

        1 year ago

        Pretty much. Eventually he will realize that giving a player a jersey with his desired number on it (which Boone said they did in their meeting with him) doesn’t matter. They’re so far removed from their winning dynastic years that the allure isn’t the same.

        LAD is simply better. Their owners are also unquestionably committed to winning.

        22
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        • One Bite Hotdog

          1 year ago

          Their owners are unquestionably committed to making money.

          12
          Reply
        • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

          1 year ago

          $1 billion for 2 Japanese players?
          I’d fall on my sword for that any day…

          5
          Reply
        • luckyh

          1 year ago

          That was just a moronic stunt. Both guys knew where they were going. The dance is just driving up the offer from their desired team.

          13
          Reply
        • richardc

          1 year ago

          Exactly this, they both knew they were never going to the East Coast. New York, in both circumstances, was just used in order to make sure both players had big pocket competition for the best deals possible.

          10
          Reply
        • oldguyG

          1 year ago

          I agree cant tell me Ohtani , yamoto and dodgers didn’t have all this planned .

          2
          Reply
        • Fever Pitch Guy

          1 year ago

          Clip – As always you’ve made some excellent points.

          I think the Dodgers ownership is absolutely committed to winning their first legit championship since 1988. And in that market, with that stadium, the revenue gap between them and the rest of MLB will only widen.

          If the Fab Five stays healthy, they should steamroll through the regular season.

          HOWEVER …. you can’t help but wonder, how will their two Japanese pitchers perform in the postseason on “short rest” after pitching just once a week all season?

          12
          Reply
        • bigjonliljon

          1 year ago

          And spending money evidently as well

          Reply
        • Yanks2

          1 year ago

          Hideki Matsui reportedly had a positive impact on the meeting with Yoshinobu but it was probably a typical click bait Jon Heyman kind of article

          5
          Reply
        • Fever Pitch Guy

          1 year ago

          Yanks – Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pedro and/or Ortiz were involved in the Boston meeting.

          But I think active players have a much bigger impact, because those are the guys who would be in the locker room and on the field with Yamamoto.

          6
          Reply
        • luckyh

          1 year ago

          Exactly. Superstars are great in the regular season, but rarely match their stats in the post season. Not that I wouldn’t like one or both on my team, but it hardly guarantees rings.

          1
          Reply
        • 99CaptainJudge99

          1 year ago

          @oldguyG, Who really cares truthfully at this point? Yamamoto should of signed wherever he wanted, he has the right. $30 million a year or over is a lot for someone who has never pitched in the major leagues, although Yoshinobu definitely seems like the real deal. I only want players on the Yankees who want to play there. If you as a player wouldn’t be happy,then I don’t want you to be on the team I root for.

          3
          Reply
        • padam

          1 year ago

          Hideki Irabu apparently crashed the meeting as well.

          2
          Reply
        • Arch10

          1 year ago

          Yea those Dodgers wining rings left and right…

          Reply
        • User 1580013680

          1 year ago

          You’re exactly right

          Reply
        • Hego Damask

          1 year ago

          100% what I was coming on here to say.

          Reply
        • Begamin

          1 year ago

          how moronic of them to get more money smhsmh

          Reply
        • Yanksfan75

          1 year ago

          Clip you my friend are dead on balls accurate!!! not only with that statement but just about every viewpoint on Yankee ownership you make. Even tho they won it all in 09 since they tore Yankee stadium down it feels like the electricity and mystique just not same … If you don’t mind spending just a incredible amount of money to go a game. for a 12$ bottle water. $300 for upper tier seats .your left leg quart of blood and your 3rd born child to sit first 5 rows from field. just not same .I never thought I would really miss big George. I thought his boys saw how winning is done but they just suck compared to old George… Merry Christmas

          1
          Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          1 year ago

          Thanks, Yanks Fan, Merry Christmas to you too! It’s ridiculous how expensive it is to watch such a garbage product on the field. The only way change happens is when fans stop spending money. Over 50% of season ticket holders had not renewed, which is the only reason why they’re being so aggressive this offseason, imho.

          1
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        • JackStrawb

          1 year ago

          @richardc And Stearns and Cohen knew this and used their ‘pursuit’ of Yamamoto to continue to deceive fans about the fact that the Mets are punting 2024, and if so, then inevitably 2025 as well.

          Reply
    • Ranger Danger19

      1 year ago

      The Dodgers are drunk. You can’t blame your team or the player for what is happening at the moment. This will shake itself out in time

      4
      Reply
      • jade 2

        1 year ago

        Agreed. The Dodgers just blugeoned the league with stupid money on guys that are unproven and huge injury risks. Their rotation is 2 rookies who had 185 IP TOTAL last year. Bueler, who didn’t pitch last year and is a FA in ’25, Yamamoto who is undersized and never made more than 25 starts. And Glasnow who is 30 and averages 80 IP per. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if all of those guys were either hurt or out of gas come Oct..
        Feels like a HUGE mistep to not trade for a Burnes or Cease who routinely throw 180 IP – Hell, Burnes has more IP over the last 2 years than the entire Dodgers starting rotation.

        5
        Reply
        • Yanks2

          1 year ago

          I wouldn’t even consider the Dodgers’ pitching acquisitions as their main reason for potential failure. I think it’ll come down to ultimately their typical post season choking just like the Yankees

          2
          Reply
    • Zerbs63

      1 year ago

      Nope sounded like he wanted to go to LA. Sad part is bad reporting from NY media saying it was a done deal heading to the Yankees.

      7
      Reply
      • luckyh

        1 year ago

        Just delusional from the beginning. Typical NY delusion.

        7
        Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          1 year ago

          I’m not sure you can call it “typical NY delusion” as many media sources were reporting the Yankees as being the most likely landing spot. That said, it may have been media delusion. Regardless, the Yankees rarely miss out on a FA they intend on getting.

          5
          Reply
        • Wrian Washman

          1 year ago

          They don’t miss out on anyone they want, the New York Yankees do not get outbid. They didn’t want him bad enough they could have went 350 easy and force Yoshi to leave money on the table if he really wanted LA that badly.

          4
          Reply
        • Fever Pitch Guy

          1 year ago

          Clip – I don’t trust most of the media, but I do trust Rosenthal and The Athletic.

          When they reported Ohtani was at Dodger Stadium when Yamamoto visited, and they called his presence “very significant” according to a source close to Yamamoto, that right there convinced me the Dodgers had a chance even after the Glasnow trade.

          It also didn’t hurt that Mookie and Freddie attended as well.

          I mean, I didn’t hear any reports of Cole or Judge or Stanton being involved in the Yamamoto/Yankees meetings. Same with the Red Sox and Mets, were any players included in those meetings?

          Other than Yoshida, there’s really no player on the Red Sox that could have made an impact by attending their meeting. Devers probably didn’t want to fly from the Dominican, and Sale has got just one guaranteed year left on his contract.

          So I really think it wasn’t just the money, the Dodgers did the best job of courting him as well.

          7
          Reply
        • Yanks2

          1 year ago

          I kind of want NYY to get Snell

          Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          1 year ago

          FPG: Yeah, that’s a great point too. Although NY did apparently have Matsui record a message for him, that’s nowhere near the same impact. Ohtani is Japan’s biggest star. I’m sure LADs courting had a major impact, as you wrote.

          I also agree with you on the Athletic: Jack Curry (YES), Ken Rosenthal, and Jeff Passan of ESPN are the most trusted, objective media sources, imho. Granted they are the exception to the rule in media, unfortunately.

          5
          Reply
        • 920kodiak

          1 year ago

          I agree, but I would note that the Yankees of 2023 are not George’s Yankees.

          5
          Reply
      • bootsday29

        1 year ago

        New York media? All baseball media especially that tool Nightengale.

        1
        Reply
    • bjhaas1977

      1 year ago

      Read the article again. The Mets never got a chance to counter the offer.

      1
      Reply
      • jakethesnizake

        1 year ago

        Did the Yankees get an offer to counter? Was wondering about that.

        Regardless, the guy wanted to be in LA all among in my estimation.

        5
        Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          1 year ago

          @jakethesnizake He was my fav wrestler growing up along with Macho Man.

          No and neither were the Mets. I believe he had a magic number in mind which the Dodgers met and just said “f it, that’s good enough.”. Sure, the Dodgers went gangbusters this off-season but they also just purchased a pipeline as the preferred destination for future Japanese talent. In essense, the Dodgers just became Japan’s USA team. They’re the fourth largest economy in the world. Shrewd business moves Dodgers and hat tip to them.

          5
          Reply
    • good vibes only

      1 year ago

      That’s all a fan can ask for. Solid take

      3
      Reply
    • kingbum

      1 year ago

      I think Yamamoto is a bad businessman and cost himself millions. The Dodger contract is back loaded meaning when he opts out (everyone does) the Dodgers would of paid out less than half his contract. The Yankees was a higher AAV and it was not back loaded. Also hitting free agency at 29 if he pans out would guarantee him another monster payday. Was playing with Ohtani that important?

      2
      Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        1 year ago

        @kingbum I don’t disagree but sometimes there are other driving factors beside money. Back when Othani decided to come stateside, it was almost a media consensus that had he waited two additional years, he would’ve received a $200MM contract as an unrestricted free agent. Othani didn’t want to wait and we already know the rest.

        3
        Reply
        • Yanksfan75

          1 year ago

          Yankeesbleachercreature … I get feeling the two dodger signings were on dodgers radar for years …. And I also think yes it’s a shitload of money and the agents n teams can front or back load or whatever but bottom line is these guys were going to dodgers unless the yanks or Mets blew the offers away … If yanks really wanted them they get em .. on players back or front loading deals they know the money is coming and seem open-minded to work deal out so team can keep adding players …. Dodgers gotta be Japan’s most popular team the money they are gonna pull out of that market will pay 1.2 billion price tag off very fast… What do you think yanks do rest of winter I actually love what they have done in outfield need starting pitchers… Is any chance of them dumping or even trading dfa Stanton at some point this year/season

          Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          1 year ago

          @YF75 Yes, I believe the Dodgers had a plan laid out for Ohtani while anticipating his free agency.

          As for Stanton, I think this is the final year for him to prove that he still has some life in his bat. If he scuffles, they’ll DFA him to bring in someone else by the deadline. There’s no time to waste to capitalize on presumably Soto’s only year in NY. If Stanton were a FA today, he’ll be third/fourth best DH option available behind JDM, Turner, Soler, etc. He has very little to no trade value.

          I think they’ll sign another starting pitcher bc they can’t be confident right now in Rodon being the #2 that they signed him for. And also trade for a reliever.

          Happy Holidays!

          1
          Reply
      • richardc

        1 year ago

        @kingbum – I think those facts alone should tell people it was the Dodgers all along.

        Although, I don’t necessarily think it was just playing with Ohtani. I think the Dodgers offered him a great chance to win. When you win, and youre a high profile player, that equals more exposure and more exposure equals more endorsement deals.

        Plus, I think he wanted to stay closer to home on the West Coast all along.

        On top of all of that, there is playing alongside Ohtani, but, more importantly, there is also all the media and exposure Ohtani brings with him.

        From the Dodgers perspective, they fill a major need by getting an awesome young pitcher for what will likely be his prime years. Plus, now they have likely become Japan’s favorite and most popular team, so their merchandise sales should go soaring through the roof.

        The Dodgers took advantage of playing in a major market, their ownership’s willingness to spend more than most other teams, and they took advantage of their proximity to Japan. Both were very well thought out, intelligent moves made by their decision makers, and they’ll undoubtedly reap some major rewards in the not so distant future.

        If they continue winning, and especially if they win a World Series or multiple World Series, these moves will EASILY pay for themselves.

        I’m happy for them, and their fans, but, as a fan of the Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers now scare the heck out of me.

        Teams better try to make their runs this year while Ohtani is not pitching, May and Gonsolin are out, and Buehler is recently removed from his TJ surgery. I say that, because after next season, the Dodgers are only going to improve their roster even more by getting healthy, through internal call-ups, and another year of free agency. Then, if they can all get healthy, I don’t care what team it is, every team is going to pale in comparison to the Dodgers newly built powerhouse.

        Heck, what is even scarier is the fact that Max Fried is likely to be a free agent next offseason. Can you imagine a rotation of Ohtani, Buehler, Glasnow, Yamamoto, and Max Fried. Heck, they could even go to a six or seven man rotation by adding Dustin May, Sheehan, and/or Tony Gonsolin.

        At that point, I’m pretty sure I’d just be sick to my stomach…lol

        3
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    • GOAT Closer Esteban Yan

      1 year ago

      They’d be better off using that money for Montgomery anyway. He is a proven postseason pitcher and won’t become an albatross of a contract 8-10 years from now.

      2
      Reply
    • slydevil

      1 year ago

      Also the dodgers and LA will be flooded with more Japanese endorsements than ever. He’ll cash in huge – and the ohtani deal makes it just more lucrative to focus the Japanese fan base there.

      Ichiro made Seattle a huge Japanese investment target. This has gotta be way beyond that for a team.

      4
      Reply
    • Citizen1

      1 year ago

      Sounds like he wanted to sign with dodgers all along. If the Dodgers don’t win the ws in 2024 or 2025, roberts should be given the high boot.

      1
      Reply
    • rottenboyfriend

      1 year ago

      The last World Series winner with a huge payroll was the Dodgers in 2020 but with the pandemic and it being a 60 game season it’s tainted to some degree! All MLB fans will root against the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees the teams that try to buy a championship every year! With the posting fee and luxury tax penalty the Dodger payroll will be 400 million this year which will be the highest in baseball…

      Reply
      • iknoweverythingesq

        1 year ago

        Two exclamation points and one ellipses round out the tree sentences in your post. Which did you want to convey your message, the punctuation or the words themselves? Asking for a friend.

        Reply
    • 99CaptainJudge99

      1 year ago

      @Yankee Clipper- Hey Clipp, not too worried about not signing Yamamoto, he was too expensive anyway. Lol. If we sign Jordan Montgomery and trade for Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease (one or the other) we’ll be alright. Cease probably would be cheaper then Burnes. I would offer Everson Pereira, Clarke Schmidt/Casey Hampton, George Lombard and another piece (Clayton Beeter) for Cease lst, considering he’d probably be cheaper then Burnes. I like whoever is less expensive. Lol. Ok let me know, and hope all is well sir.

      2
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      • Yankee Clipper

        1 year ago

        99CJ99: Hey man, Merry Christmas to you and yours! Yeah, this contract for Yoshi is going to be one of two extremes due to his hype and the length/cost: either excellent or a total failure. I’m not too upset about not landing him, and I completely agree that there are other options that could really bolster the rotation behind Cole.

        My biggest problem is needing him in the first place. We’ve gone through so many offseasons now where the Yanks have tried to split the balance between saving money and doing just enough to make the playoffs. They’ve vaporized critical years for Judge, Cole, and others.

        Also, keeping Aaron Baffoone is part of the problem. My opinion is that he is mediocre on his best days, and that’s not how you set your team up to win. I was an advocate for someone like Bochy, and it showed that he does make a difference.

        But, if we landed someone like Burnes? Yeah, sign me up for that. I also am a huge fan of Cease under Matt Blake’s tutelage to correct his location issues. I also heard of a trade proposal where Yanks would take on Moncada’s contract with Cease – I’m not opposed to that either. Monty is solid and dependable, and as you’ve pointed out before, we know he can perform in pinstripes. I think you also brought up Montas, and if he’s healthy, he’s an excellent 4 or 5.

        We can certainly plug most holes, but they have to make some moves that will put Cashman and Hal out of their comfort zones.

        1
        Reply
    • Mrivers

      1 year ago

      I do count 2020, but on the whole a team that has been stacked with players like Betts, JD Martinez, Kershaw, Freeman, Scherzer, Trea Turner, Machado, Buehler, Urias, etc., hasn’t been successful at winning it all.

      Go luck my Japanese friend.

      Reply
  2. roob

    1 year ago

    All that is to say that he just preferred the Dodgers.

    19
    Reply
    • Ha-Seong Kim

      1 year ago

      He preferred having the privilege of smelling Ohtani’s jock strap each night*

      9
      Reply
    • Neon Cop

      1 year ago

      Preferred being closer to Japan…

      3
      Reply
      • jakethesnizake

        1 year ago

        I think the closer to Japan thing is overplayed.

        During the season these guys don’t have time to travel to Japan. They do that in the offseason. On private jets if they so desire. Because they’re absurdly wealthy. If they want their family to stay in Japan, which frankly is kinda absurd IMO, they can fly them out on a private jet on an as needed basis. Because they’re absurdly wealthy.

        Point is, some guys just don’t want to play in NY and some do. These two didn’t want to. Maybe one of the next guys do, maybe not. I don’t really care either way TBH.

        7
        Reply
        • Fever Pitch Guy

          1 year ago

          Jake – I agree with you about the closer to Japan thing, but the Japanese population in SoCal is a very significant factor.

          It’s the largest in North America, by far.

          6
          Reply
        • JackStrawb

          1 year ago

          New York at this point has zero attraction for baseball superstars who aren’t already set up there.

          Reply
      • Citizen1

        1 year ago

        Seattle is closer to Japan, gonna fly there on an off day?

        1
        Reply
    • rondon

      1 year ago

      Neither he or Ohtani were ever going anywhere but LA. All the other teams just drove up the price. And the writers, desperate for a “scoop”, were played like chumps.

      8
      Reply
    • richardc

      1 year ago

      And the vast majority of Japanese players will always prefer the West Coast.

      And which team gives then a great chance to win, but also, most importantly, has the deepest pockets??

      The Dodgers.

      Anytime the Didgers are interested, if there is a player they really want from Japan, they’ll most likely get him. Any other team, is going to have to fairly significantly outbid the Dodgers in order to land such a player, and good luck with that.

      They’ll always be able to make a competitive enough offer to keep it close and ultimately win the bidding.

      These other deep pocket teams, especially the ones on the East Coast, just got used and downright played. By pretending to be interested in the teams from New York and Philly, both of Yamamoto’s and Shohei’s agents made sure there was enough solid competition to force the Dodgers to bring a substantial offer to the table.

      And in both cases it worked like a charm. Good for them, but really stinks for Yankees and Mets fans.

      4
      Reply
      • sophiethegreatdane

        1 year ago

        Oh yeah, the poor Yankee fans. Cry me a river for their pain.

        Mets fans, on the other hand…

        5
        Reply
      • Jack Dawkins

        1 year ago

        I have thought all along that they kept their desired destination a secret to prevent the Dodgers from lowballing them. The biggest tells for Yoshi were the reports about his childhood infatuation with the Dodgers and wanting/not minding a Japanese teammate. Shohei was harder to read. I think that he felt pressure after the phoney Toronto charter jet story broke. Like Yogi said, he saw a fork in the road and took it.

        2
        Reply
    • nukeg

      1 year ago

      There’s a reason why Asians vacation at Disneyland and Europeans visit Disney World. There’s about a 4.5 hour difference of Tokyo to LA and Tokyo to NY.

      You would think the time and logistics costs alone would be a factor.

      2
      Reply
      • stormie

        1 year ago

        How often are they going back and forth to Japan that those few hours would be that big a consideration? A few times a year? If that?

        2
        Reply
        • Nuggethoarder

          1 year ago

          It’s 10 hours Tokyo to LAX non-stop. 13 to NYC. It’s not a big deal, really. But if I had to choose, I’d always choose ten hours over 13 hours. Anything over eight hours in economy starts to feel interminable.

          Of course, these guys fly 1st class which makes the trip, well, kind of pleasant to be honest!

          Reply
        • rondon

          1 year ago

          Not to mention the difference in climate between LA and NY.

          1
          Reply
  3. Bostonsports85

    1 year ago

    The dodgers ruined baseball …typical of a los Angeles team ruining a sport

    8
    Reply
    • Shadow_Banned

      1 year ago

      lol you weren’t saying that in 04 or 07 were you?
      Just sit back relax, and enjoy some Dodger baseball.

      12
      Reply
    • Misfit0620

      1 year ago

      I’ll bite. Don’t just spew silly comments without context. Care to elaborate?

      3
      Reply
    • roob

      1 year ago

      Just like how the Patriots, Bruins, Red Sox and Celtics ruined sports when they won. I’m big fans of all those teams now that they’re not ruining sports.

      7
      Reply
    • Jimbo_Jones

      1 year ago

      A touch premature. It will be exciting!

      Reply
    • Citizen1

      1 year ago

      But there is no guarantee the dodgers will win a ws. Compete, yes, but most of their starters are on the shelf. Arizona might improve and knock them from the division round,

      3
      Reply
  4. Yankeesfan23

    1 year ago

    He used us like an old pair of gym shorts when the Dodgers were on his mind the whole time! 🙁

    5
    Reply
    • oldgfan

      1 year ago

      Been there.
      Pretty sure it was Japanipulation all along by these two guys. They were going to be Fodgers all along. Just needed all the other big markets to drive up the payday.

      5
      Reply
      • oldgfan

        1 year ago

        I’ll bet they grab Leftynaga next.
        Maybe some of the other teams will have learned not to play along this time.

        Reply
  5. LFGMets (Metsin7) #ConsistentlyBannedBaseballExpert

    1 year ago

    Why would anyone rather play in the shthole known as the Bronx and by those awful run down junkyards in Queens over playing in bright and sunny LA. Is the East River supposed to be better than LA’s beaches?

    6
    Reply
    • A-Rod the GOAT

      1 year ago

      LA isn’t exactly a paradise either. One of the biggest dumps in all of America lol

      21
      Reply
      • TrumboRedux

        1 year ago

        People forget that he is not living in Los Angeles. He will be playing at Dodger stadium. Not living in the immediate surrounding area or gallivanting around Watts or East LA for that matter. He is an Orange County guy and will no doubt remain one. So the city he plays in really means ZERO. You all think he is moving to a bungalow near Skid Row or something??

        7
        Reply
        • TrumboRedux

          1 year ago

          Shohei could take a 12min helo ride from his house to the stadium every home game if he wanted. Forget all the driving BS! Let’s simplify things!

          5
          Reply
        • JaysForDayz

          1 year ago

          Kobe tried that. Not that simple.

          2
          Reply
        • TrumboRedux

          1 year ago

          Uhhhh….What does Kobe have to do with anything? I heard Princess Diana died in a car too…Guess we all can’t use those either.

          Reply
      • smd

        1 year ago

        These guys will live in Bel Air, Brentwood, or the Palisades. Quite a far cry from the dump you describe.

        Reply
    • westcoastmetsfan

      1 year ago

      No junkyards near the park in L.A. just homeless encampments. The park itself is great and the views around it at night are beautiful. Getting to the park through the neighborhoods not so much

      4
      Reply
  6. Shadow_Banned

    1 year ago

    Brings me so much Joy after years of ESPN (Eastern Sports Propaganda Network) constantly shoving NY teams down our throat.

    To have LA as a premier destination.

    3
    Reply
  7. eznod

    1 year ago

    Who cares what the NY teams offered. It’s over!

    2
    Reply
    • JPR

      1 year ago

      Clicks

      2
      Reply
    • This one belongs to the Reds

      1 year ago

      Stay tuned tomorrow for follow-up articles on:
      The Red Sox failed pursuit
      The Giants failed pursuit
      and so on through the other teams.

      Same thing happened with Ohtani.

      1
      Reply
      • gravel

        1 year ago

        The Giant’s failed pursuit article was posted yesterday.

        3
        Reply
  8. norcalblue

    1 year ago

    Nicely stated YC and roob! Lots of factors outside of money seemed to have influenced the final decision. Not at all surprising.

    4
    Reply
    • roob

      1 year ago

      You mean it’s okay for people to have preferences? Even professional athletes who only exist for your amusement and sporting pleasure? No! Say it ain’t so.

      3
      Reply
  9. Joel P

    1 year ago

    Saying the New York teams failed is a bit dramatic. Only 1 team signed him in that context 29 other teams failed.

    5
    Reply
  10. jbryant0693

    1 year ago

    No mention of the Reds offer?

    3
    Reply
    • Joel P

      1 year ago

      Last time I checked the Reds don’t play on the coast. So they don’t count.

      Kidding. Probably…….

      2
      Reply
      • This one belongs to the Reds

        1 year ago

        ESPN, MLB Network and the Commissioners office don’t believe in the existence of flyover country. So more true than you know.

        4
        Reply
    • oldgfan

      1 year ago

      Crickets

      Reply
  11. SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs

    1 year ago

    Join a guaranteed 100 win team in a cakewalk division while playing with super icon Ohtani or play in tougher divisions out east with no real Japanese market.

    4
    Reply
    • Zerbs63

      1 year ago

      You do realize both teams in the WS are teams from the west?

      5
      Reply
      • Informed Sportsball Discussion

        1 year ago

        As well as both teams that knocked the Dodgers out of the playoffs one and done in the past two years.

        They don’t give out Commissioner’s Trophies for winning your division.

        5
        Reply
  12. Ignorant Son-of-a-b

    1 year ago

    So far I haven’t been bothered by what the Dodgers have accomplished. However if the extra income they receive from having Ohtani/Yamamoto on the team (thru advertising deals in Japan or Japanese tourism or however the income pours in) and that supplies the Dodgers with an extra 50 to 75mil in revenue every year…well I don’t think that’s quite equitable. That income stream should be shared by all MLB. Throw it in the profit-sharing bowl.

    Reply
    • Ncsaint

      1 year ago

      Dunno if it will or it won’t, but if the Dodgers correctly assessed how much revenue signing them could bring in and tailored their offers accordingly, and other teams didn’t, that wouldn’t be unfair. That would be them doing their jobs better than the rest of the league.

      I hope the Yankees were right that he isn’t worth more than that, but if the Dodgers had a better take, that isn’t unfair, it is winning.

      8
      Reply
    • YankeesAreDodgersEast

      1 year ago

      Why should that be the case when the Dodgers assumed all the risk?

      They’re the ones who let Seager, Turner and Machado walk years in advance just to have a chance at this month.

      Also, what if they get hurt or they don’t produce, Dodgers are on the hook for the entire contract…the MLB is not going to chip in gofund me style

      14
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    • Cap & Crunch

      1 year ago

      The pot can definitely be shared better

      I’ve always said a structure more towards the NBA’s would be a whole lot better for the fans.

      Problem lies with the MLBPA and owners equal greed of not wanting that idea to ever hit daylight

      2
      Reply
  13. roob

    1 year ago

    I thought the White Sox were gonna get him. Who wouldn’t want to play for Pedro Grifol?

    5
    Reply
  14. Bigtimeyankeefan

    1 year ago

    As a Yankee fan who has witnessed the collecting of superstars, as any of you reading this has seen with the padres, collecting a team of all stars never works

    3
    Reply
    • jbryant0693

      1 year ago

      As a non-Yankees fan who witnessed the collection of all stars in the late 90s early 2000s, sometimes it does.

      9
      Reply
      • GhostofRandySavage

        1 year ago

        It worked pretty well in 2008-2009 as well

        1
        Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          1 year ago

          CC, AJ Burnett, and Tex.

          2
          Reply
  15. ArianaGrandSlam

    1 year ago

    Who cares? They lost period.

    Reply
  16. Frankie Bani

    1 year ago

    Yankees needs to HIT not to PITCH they lose always hitting

    1
    Reply
  17. Chemo850

    1 year ago

    I can’t believe the dodgers paid over 1 billion just to get Ohtani

    1
    Reply
  18. rcerso75

    1 year ago

    Not to be nit-picky, but I pay for a subscription to MLBTR. Is it too much to ask that ya’ll proofread what you write? The last three articles that I have read have been littered with typos, or wrong names, or incorrect info. Please proofread better

    6
    Reply
    • Chemo850

      1 year ago

      Isn’t this a you problem? I mean, not to be a douchecanoe, but it’s kinda deserved for actually paying to read the same terrible articles that everyone else is reading for free lol

      4
      Reply
  19. horaceallen

    1 year ago

    Yamamoto wanted the Dodgers all along. No issues there, he handled this well for himself.
    Yankees will be fine. 2024 Mets will be a mess, 2026 should be fine though.

    6
    Reply
  20. ignasis

    1 year ago

    Some people might think I’m being a salty fan here or something, but, I sincerely hope the Dodgers lose hard on these deals… I don’t care about how much money they’re spending, that’s not my gripe… It’s kind of the stupidity of the spending though…

    Do the Dodgers really know what they’re getting with Ohtani? What’s the health going to be like for Glasnow? Here’s yet another player in Yamamoto (that admittedly I wanted my team to get) who really hasn’t shown durability in his career…

    There’s being aggressive, and then there is committing something like 1.2 billion to three players that could really end up underperforming their contracts… Is this going to be the new normal in baseball? 200+ million dollars for unproven players or players who are proven to have significant and consistent health issues? I don’t want a team to be rewarded for decision making like this on principle…

    It just feels like a recipe for a lot of trash contracts to be handed out… It’s becoming the new normal…

    3
    Reply
    • PutPeteinthehall

      1 year ago

      I do not believe Yamamoto has health issues however he has done a lot of pitching in his young years.

      Nolan Ryan was in the military from 19-22. Did not throw a baseball. I believe he played until he was at least 44. Never had serious arm troubles. He felt is was due to his body maturing before pitching.

      Can’t say how Yamamoto will do however there is a serious price drop for a late model vehicle with high miles. There is a reason why…….

      1
      Reply
      • PutPeteinthehall

        1 year ago

        BTW Ohtani is on the second TJS. Has any pitcher ever had a third procedure. I agree with you about handing out dumb contracts. This might have the desired short term benefits however long term both contracts suck.
        MLB has screwed up. The tax hit should be assessed on some of the deferred money too. In other words ok the value is 46m not 70m so that’s the tax hit number. They should charge the other 24m when the deferments are being paid. This would discourage this cr** and help level the playing field a little. The games pretty much ruined now as only maybe 30 percent of the teams have the revenue needed to attract the so called stars.

        Reply
        • jbryant0693

          1 year ago

          Ohtani has only had one TJ. This current procedure is not TJ.

          2
          Reply
        • Astros_fan_in_Aus

          1 year ago

          True, but a distinction without a difference.

          1
          Reply
      • Arch10

        1 year ago

        Not an issue in Japan, but larger ball, no sticky stuff, less rest and having to “bump” up his curveball will bring extra stress on that elbow. And Yama is far from being a large man. Dodgers placed a good bet, but has lots of risks. Imo

        1
        Reply
      • ignasis

        1 year ago

        No, the concern with Yamamoto is that he HASN’T done a lot of pitching in his young years. He hasn’t thrown a lot of innings. He’s never shown the ability to handle anything close MLB workload. He throws a lot less than other Japanese aces that have come over to North America.

        Now, that’s actually fine. That’s a risk worth taking… Until you literally hand out a record breaking contract… You shouldn’t hand out record breaking contracts to players with a red flag THAT large.

        It begs the question… How much money will Shane Bieber get in free agency next year? 300+ million?

        Reply
        • JackStrawb

          1 year ago

          @ignasis Well, no, friend. Look at Yamamoto’s inning totals from 2021-2023. That’s a typical durable starter’s workload in the U.S., getting 30 starts a season.

          Reply
    • Cap & Crunch

      1 year ago

      Short answer, Yes they know the POTENTIAL of what they are getting

      *And they also know what they are NOT getting (more later)

      They let a ton of internal players walk the last couple years for this to happen- Seager both Turners Bellinger Urias Maeda Kenley. They had a super clean ledger going into this offseason

      What they are not getting- The Heaneys, Hills , Lynns, Noahs , Andersons of the world anymore to eat innings. Those investments having proven ominous come October past years ( all oddly averaging about 13 mill per )

      They are adding risk for the sake of higher upside come Oct.. of {maybe} having a Ohtani Yoshi Glassnow rotation instead of what we saw last year in years to come. I personally like it, but can see how people more risk adverse could shy away from the idea.

      Would you read the situation differently if they had invested all that money into homegrown products such as Bellinger Urias Seager JT with some Buehler Will Smith exts??

      1
      Reply
      • ignasis

        1 year ago

        You’ve parsed most of my point, but you missed the meat of it. Yes, there’s tons of upside, and I also value that. Yes there’s tons of risk, and some people would be averse to that…

        But, we’re talking about a DH who may never be the same pitcher, a Japanese pitcher who has never thrown an MLB inning and hasn’t shown the ability to handle even 75% of an MLB workload, and a career 3.9 ERA supposed starting pitcher who has only made more than 15 starts ONCE in his career…

        It’s not that the Dodgers are acquiring these players, it’s that they’re RESETTING THE MARKET to do so, on players with major red flags. I understand when you reset the pitching market to sign Gerrit Cole. His resume was great, his medical report was great. I understand far less when you do it for Yamamoto.

        Reply
        • Cap & Crunch

          1 year ago

          Glassnow’s at 27..5 CBT, I wouldn’t say that’s re-setting any market just kinda his own

          Ohtani, obv is a strange situation no matter who inked him

          Yama, well he had at least 3~5 different teams present him basically the same offer. I don’t see any Dodger influence anywhere that they are inflating the market

          Im a Dodger fan but I certainly see ALL the risk involved, Id just argue that there’s a ton of risk rolling out those Heaney crew guys above as well .

          The days of dreaming on a Buehler Urias Kershaw May rotation have set with the sun. They had the coffers open, decided to invest in Big arms (something they hadn’t done before much) We shall see how it unfolds.
          I dont think it affects outside markets whatsoever, and if your an outside fan wishing ill will and think this is risky then you should be more than happy the Dodgers decided to invest this way

          * Btw I still wish Ohtani woulda went to Sea, think that would have been best for baseball but what’s done is done, it was all HIS own decision

          Reply
        • JackStrawb

          1 year ago

          You’re neglecting the existence of insurance.

          Reply
        • ignasis

          1 year ago

          @Cap I had edited down that message a fair bit to shorten it… (Unbelievable, I know.,,,) I had mentioned that really only those two were resetting the market in more verbose versions lol…

          That being said, really, the only other pitcher with Glassnow’s durability record that I can think of that also got paid in this ballpark was Carlos Rodon… That deal looked very dumb when it was signed to many, it certainly looks very dumb now to almost everyone.

          @JackStrawb Insurance is irrelevant here. Insurance doesn’t reduce your luxury tax hit. Insurance doesn’t undo the contract so other players can use it as a comparison in negotiations.

          Ohtani and Yamamoto have reset the market. I don’t consider it likely at all… but… There is TOTALLY a world in which they average a combined 7 (or less) WAR for the next 10 years.

          You reset the market for as close to a sure thing as you can get. You don’t reset the market for question marks. That has just never happened in baseball until now.

          A-Rod reset the market with his 2 mega contracts. Mike Trout reset the market. Gerrit Cole reset the market for pitchers. You could argue that Judge and Mookie reset the market I guess… But, not really.

          Then you have Yamamoto and Ohtani fresh off a second major elbow injury… These two contracts really don’t belong.

          Reply
  21. Mynameisnoname

    1 year ago

    If I were a GM, I’d avoid being punked by consulting a professional poker player to sit in and sniff out BS at these meetings.

    Reply
    • JackStrawb

      1 year ago

      Poker pros aren’t lie detectors. They’re information and pattern accumulators.

      Reply
  22. wayler

    1 year ago

    Really, how could he resist
    youtube.com/watch?v=KcADqxnQA_4

    Reply
    • BrutalTruth

      1 year ago

      You realize that few are going to trust you or your sense of humor enough to click a random youtube link with no idea of what they’re going to land on, right?

      Maybe if you were on Reddit or something where karma, etc., are shown for each user and post, but not here.

      Reply
  23. J.H.

    1 year ago

    That extra rest didn’t seem to help Ohtani stay healthy.

    1
    Reply
  24. bootsday29

    1 year ago

    The Dodgers are ruining the game, 1 billion on two players. How much is Yamamoto deferring, 300,000,000.00?

    Reply
    • Chemo850

      1 year ago

      It’s really one billion on one player. They signed Ohtani to a record deal for his brand. They signed this dude to a record deal to preserve Ohtani’s brand.

      2
      Reply
  25. Devlsh

    1 year ago

    Why is it when a player chooses to sign with a non-New York team, both the fans and media immediately claim the decision was geographically based or that the player intended to sign with the chosen team all along but if a player signs with a NY team, no one trots out those excuses?

    1
    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      1 year ago

      They do. I think in this case it’s said because of the fact that many assumed it was between LAD and the Yankees all along; but then the report out of Japan said he wanted to play with another Japanese player.

      Doesn’t matter though, honestly, because he picked LAD regardless of what his personal motivation was. Oftentimes it’s said all along, like when so many said Cole or Judge were going to return home to CA to play.

      It could’ve been that be selected then because his favorite team growing up was LAD (or that’s what has been reported). Or it could be that he selected LAD in the eleventh hour. Nobody but Yamamoto and perhaps his agent truly know.

      1
      Reply
      • Devlsh

        1 year ago

        That’s really the point I’m making: No one knows why a player chooses one team over another, especially if the money is comparable. In fact, it’s almost assuredly a combination of several factors so it just seems like sour grapes to say, “he was going there all the time’ when none of us really know what influenced a player’s decision.

        I know deep pocket team fans like to think you can MAKE a player choose their ballclub but truly, when you’re parsing the differences between 325 million and 350 million dollars, I doubt most players let a few million dollars that won’t change their lives one iota be the deciding factor,

        4
        Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          1 year ago

          Yeah, and you’re absolutely correct imo. We don’t know for sure. Nobody can. My apologies if it seemed like I was correcting your assessment. I only meant to expound upon what you wrote. Either way, I agree, and don’t understand why it makes people feel better about the players’ motivations. Perhaps that’s why we are called fans (fanatics), because we so closely relate to our team’s identity and reputation….

          I was just pointing out (as a diehard NYY fan) that it also happens when NY lands players too. I take it you’re an LAD fan – if so, revel in these acquisitions, it’s awesome for you, and the future looks bright. If I brought the hottest girl home and people said, “Well she just went with him because of [insert excuse],” I say, “Doesn’t matter why, I’m still bringing home the hottest girl!”

          2
          Reply
      • steelerbravenation

        1 year ago

        See out here all we heard was how he grew up a Yankee fan.

        1
        Reply
    • steelerbravenation

      1 year ago

      I don’t think it’s just anybody that chooses geographically. I think it’s just Asian players that do. And I think it makes sense because of the distance from their countries.
      Think you are grasping for straws looking for that West Coast victim mentality.

      1
      Reply
  26. MLB Top 100 Commenter

    1 year ago

    Even if the Dodgers overpaid by 100 million each, Ohtani and Yamamoto transform the Dodgers into a historic team with Betts, Freeman, Smith, Glasnow and Kershaw. Not as much injury risk as deGrom and Scherzer were last year, but injury risk all the same.

    1
    Reply
  27. highflyballintorightfield

    1 year ago

    TEARS OF UNFATHOMABLE SADNESS
    mmm, yummy yummy

    2
    Reply
  28. @DaOldDerbyBastard

    1 year ago

    I hope he Dave Dravecky’s his arm in spring training.

    Reply
    • gravel

      1 year ago

      Name checks out.

      I sincerely hope he does not get cancer, break his arm, and has the same arm amputated to keep the cancer from spreading.

      1
      Reply
    • oldgfan

      1 year ago

      Wow Dog, wow.

      1
      Reply
      • gravel

        1 year ago

        Hey! It wasn’t me who wished the Dave Dravecky experience for Yamamoto.

        Reply
    • @DaOldDerbyBastard

      1 year ago

      I’m not serious here.

      Reply
  29. HALfromVA

    1 year ago

    One BILLION dollars…

    Reply
  30. DarkSide830

    1 year ago

    hard to imagine why he would have gone to NYM over LAD at the same price tag.

    3
    Reply
  31. Goose

    1 year ago

    We are assuming dramatically more money might have done it, hypothetically say $400 million. If all the offers were similar, Yamamoto gets to be on the West Coast, closer to home, with a team that is stacked.

    2
    Reply
    • steelerbravenation

      1 year ago

      To me it’s obvious Yankees made their offer & he shopped it to the Mets they made their offer & then he brought it to the Dodgers who said we got Ohtani are definitely in a better position to compete so take our offer or leave it and he took it.
      Benefits to him is that Ohtani is there to take media pressure off & gives him someone in the locker room to be comfortable around.
      The ability to compete for a championship right away
      Of course the contract.
      The Mets & Yankees had to put an offer out there that the Dodgers couldn’t top if they wanted him. And I believe they both thought they were they just were never given the opportunity to match which I feel is becoming common and the Yankees are not used to being the first offer. They have always been the last offer. The one that either they get their man or that say keep moving.

      Reply
  32. reno24

    1 year ago

    All the money spent will just make it that more entertaining when they get bounced in the 1st round of the playoffs every season for the next decade.

    1
    Reply
  33. aragon

    1 year ago

    Lolro!

    Reply
  34. Edde1968

    1 year ago

    I wonder if the Yankees would have matched the 12 years 325 million offer do you think Yamamoto would have signed with the Yankees instead of the Dodgers.

    Reply
    • steelerbravenation

      1 year ago

      No I feel they had to come harder. Proximity to home and the fact the Dodgers are there every year plus Ohtani being able to take off some media pressure.
      Media pressure which is even stronger in NY and he would be by himself going through it as well.
      I think if the Dodgers were even close on the number he woulda chose them over the Yankees or the Mets.

      2
      Reply
    • stymeedone

      1 year ago

      It doesn’t appear they got that opportunity. It looks more like he USED Cohen and the NYM to set the price and only gave the Dodgers a chance to match.

      1
      Reply
  35. User 1855579867

    1 year ago

    In the risk calculation, Japanese players are less likely to have proclivities such as Tatis or Bauer.

    Reply
  36. Yankeesforever

    1 year ago

    city of Gardena in southern Cal, holds the densest Japanese American population in the 48 contiguous states.

    it matters.
    The cultural shock and loneliness is lessen when you are around your people.

    2
    Reply
    • stymeedone

      1 year ago

      Let me know if he chooses to live there. Betting he he buys in Beverly Hills or the like, you know, to be by his people. RICH!

      Reply
  37. TrumpisMyGawd

    1 year ago

    Signing with LA is particularly delicious given how confident in signing him the NYC teams were said to be. Eat Dodger Dogs, suckers!!

    The NYets will always be the NYets and never resemble the Gawd Almighty Dodgers. Sorry Stevo

    2
    Reply
    • Fred2023

      1 year ago

      You know, that’s an odd take when you consider the Braves were a crapfest at many times in the ’70s and ’80s and then developed pitching, ran off all those pennants, and are now a model franchise. If the Mets stop chasing shiny things — like they have done in the Wilpon era and at points since Mr. Cohen has taken over — they have the resource$ to “resemble” the Dodgers.

      Reply
  38. mlb fan

    1 year ago

    Both NY teams went “all in” and that’s really all you can ask from your team’s owners. The guy grew up rooting for the Dodgers and it’s hard to beat that when the money is about the same either way.

    1
    Reply
    • steelerbravenation

      1 year ago

      See over hear all we heard leading up was how he was a Yankee fan growing up.

      Reply
  39. JohnGorton77

    1 year ago

    Beaches of California or the Bronx/Queens..lol

    1
    Reply
    • Yankeesforever

      1 year ago

      yeah, nothing like stepping over homeless people to get to the beaches of LA to be eaten by sharks.
      Dude we have the Hamptons here, you know where the richest people in the world come to live or he would live on Long Island’s north shore gold coast, either way, living on an Island, California beaches are for pissing in when compared to LI beaches.

      1
      Reply
    • Bill M

      1 year ago

      I’m thinking that maybe money was a bigger factor than sand.

      Reply
  40. Salzilla

    1 year ago

    I think Ohtani and Yamamoto took inspiration from NBA styled dream teams. They knew where they wanted to go, and used a that leverage to their advantage. As soon as the Ohtani contract details came out it should have been more obvious to us, but we were sucked into the game as much as the GMs.

    That said, I’m happy to hear the details of the Yanks offer. Last night, I was disappointed they didn’t offer more, but in hindsight, it sounds like the best deal of the final three. As a fan you have to appreciate that.

    1
    Reply
  41. Valkyrie

    1 year ago

    Every kid wants to grow up to be a New York Yankee.

    Apparently not. Not anymore.

    1
    Reply
    • jjd002

      1 year ago

      I never wanted to.

      Reply
  42. stymeedone

    1 year ago

    Earthquakes, mudslides,smog and fires. And a High tax rate. (Full disclosure provided)

    Reply
    • Fred2023

      1 year ago

      Let’s not be forgetting crime. “Blue Heaven” is merely an oasis in a cesspool.

      Reply
  43. Mickey Solis

    1 year ago

    Another sellout piece of garbage signs up for the easy ring in LA big deal.

    Reply
  44. lfcredsox

    1 year ago

    $325 MM for a guy who has never even thrown an MLB pitch, unbelievable

    3
    Reply
  45. Yankeesforever

    1 year ago

    got to laugh at these “closer to home” comments like he is going to open his window and see Japan from LA better than he could from the east coast.
    These guys travel twice, once at the start of the season and once at the end of the season. I doubt private jet flight hours play any significance in their decision.

    1
    Reply
  46. JonCor

    1 year ago

    “Generally, players younger than 30 are widely considered to be far more attractive candidates for long-term deals than those older.”

    Feels like a missed opportunity to use that MLBTR contract tracker and provide some real analysis on what the difference is between =30.

    Reply
  47. Camden453

    1 year ago

    Mets dodged a bullet. That elbow is not good on Yamamoto

    Just pull up highlights from 2023. Violent delivery with massive stress on the elbow

    1
    Reply
  48. Poolhalljunkies

    1 year ago

    Shohei and.yamamoto should go to sofi tonight and see what its like in LA when yer not doing great..billsmafia traveled for Christmas lol

    Reply
  49. MLBTR needs to hire editors

    1 year ago

    Such a “measure” approach? Come on. Proofread your work, you lazy hacks.

    Reply
  50. Niekro floater

    1 year ago

    Yanks R all in on thor n will not be outbid … minor league contract w/invite 2ST … and fingers crossed. Should really scoop up what they can b4 all the pitching is gone, KC making bigger acquisition waves than mighty yanks these days. Cash-man burning hole through slacks on what should B incredibly hot seat except ownership seems to be mailing it in again n doesn’t appear overly interested in competing w/big boys anymore … Can’t catch those pesky rays w/there farm system producing n finding gold yearly w/P reclamation projects or the young up n coming juggernauts Oroles. Imagine if TB didn’t have to hold yard sales on best talent they can’t afford every offseason 2reload w/prospects n God forbid if the Angelos’ spent any of that masn money on a stud starting P to anchor the staff. Still turning out better overall product @fraction of the cost.

    Reply

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