Latest on the Mets and Craig Counsell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Latest on the Mets and Craig Counsell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Craig Counsell's interest in the Mets managerial vacancy is said to be, "serious"
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
Craig Counsell - who’s contract expires with the Brewers today - is said to have, “serious” interest in the Mets managerial opening, with the Mets expected to be the high bidder for his services (New York Post)
24-year-old RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto - who the Mets could be interested in free agency this winter - just won his third straight NPB Eiji Sawamura Award which is equivalent to a Cy Young Award
A deal for Yamamoto could start somewhere in the $200m range (New York Post)
Rob Manfred told reporters at the World Series this week he expects the investigation into Billy Eppler for improper use of the injury list to conclude by the end of 2023
Former Met manager Frank Howard passed away at the age of 87
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 24, began his pitching career as an 18-year-old in the NPB in 2017, and has been a dominant force over his seven-year career in Japan.
He has a lifetime 1.72 ERA in 188 games with the Orix Buffaloes over 897 innings, having allowed 633 hits and only 36 home runs with 922 strikeouts during that span. He recently won his third-straight NPB Eiji Sawamura Award after posting a 17-6 record and a 1.16 ERA in 2023 (equivalent to MLB’s Cy Young Award in Japan). He threw a no-hitter against Chiba Lotte in September, becoming the first NPB player in their history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons.
Yamamoto also pitched in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Japan and helped Team Japan win a gold medal in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Like Kodai Senga, Yamamoto features a fork ball as his out-pitch but it doesn’t have quite the same movement as Senga’s “ghost fork.” He doesn’t have the same fastball velocity as Senga either, but is younger and has tremendous command, particularly in the bottom of the zone which explains his incredibly low home run rate.
The Mets scouted Yamamoto earlier this year, as did many other clubs including the Yankees, but the Mets have long been considered a frontrunner to land Yamamoto when he is posted as a free agent after the 2023 season (New York Post).