Yoshinobu Yamamoto met the Mets in Japan as the seven-team race heats up
The Mets are among seven teams seriously pursuing Yamamoto in free agency
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
Both Steve Cohen and David Stearns flew to Japan last week to meet with RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Athletic)
The Mets did not lose anyone in the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday, but picked RHP Justin Slaten from the Rangers and then traded him to the Red Sox for LHP Ryan Ammons and cash considerations
What did David Stearns say on Wednesday? 🎤
David Stearns acknowledged both he and Steve Cohen flew to Osaka, Japan last week to meet with Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Stearns also acknowledged the Mets are pursuing Yamamoto in free agency, with the trip suggesting their pursuit is aggressive
Kodai Senga told him he would be very supportive of having Yamamoto join the Mets
Stearns said that while they didn’t get anything “significant” over the finish line during the winter meetings, they made a lot of progress with their conversations for potential free agents and other moves
He termed the moves that they have been able to make so far as moves for the “edge of the roster”
Rumor Mill 💨
The Mets are among seven teams to have expressed interest in RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Athletic)
A few thoughts on this trip to Japan… ✍️
This year’s winter meetings didn’t exactly end with the amount of activity that came with last year’s winter meetings, or the meetings from the year prior. Of course, they ended with a bang, as the Juan Soto to the Yankees deal came together and became official, as well as Eduardo Rodriguez breaking open the starting pitching market with his four-year, $80 million deal with the Diamondbacks.
There were also a bunch of smaller, more peripheral moves for not just the Mets, but other clubs too. But aside from that, it was a generally quiet week in Nashville for most of the clubs.
That doesn’t mean work wasn’t done, and that work isn’t ahead, specifically for the Mets.
The Mets - along with Steve Cohen - apparently did a lot of their recruiting before the meetings and went overseas to do it as both Mr. Cohen and Stearns met with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Japan last week at his home in Osaka, Japan. Presumably, the two sides will meet again during his US tour which begins next week, but I thought it was particularly noteworthy Stearns not only acknowledged the recruitment visit, but also specifically mentioned Yamamoto by name.
It’s unclear if the Mets are the only team to have gone to Yamamoto as part of this process, or if everyone else is simply waiting for him to come to the US next week and tour the league’s ballparks with them. Maybe there are others. Who knows.
It’s unusual for clubs to specifically name players, acknowledge meetings, and talk details about such meetings. I don’t know if that means the Mets are better positioned to land Yamamoto or not, but I think the initiative they took to go there and meet with both the player and his family show their desire and willingness to bring Yamamoto to the Mets.
But, I found it very fascinating Stearns got into the weeds on this a little bit. His hand was forced - Mike Puma of the New York Post asked him point blank about the trip after it had already gotten out, and it seemed as though Stearns was enjoying being caught trying to sneak out of prison and that spotlight suddenly being put on him. He explained all of this away with a smile and a few one-liners. He handled it well, didn’t get into too many details, although he did say Mr. Cohen travels well, which would suggest the plane ride overseas was a luxurious one.
To me anyway, it also signals not only how badly the Mets want Yamamoto, but also perhaps how badly they need Yamamoto. We have exhausted the discussion about how much pitching and more specifically, how much starting pitching the Mets need, and everyone on the planet knows Yamamoto fits their short and long term needs, fits their ballpark, fits their brand, has a good friend on the club already, and would just look so much better in a Met uniform than any other set of swag.
Money is no object in this pursuit. After all, Yankees GM Brian Cashman more or less acknowledged that if Mr. Cohen wants Yamamoto, it will be almost impossible to compete with the Mets financially for him.
This is going to come down to what the player wants and where the player wants to go. Don’t you wish real life was that easy for us?
Hot Stove 🔥
The Yankees acquired OF’s Juan Soto and Trent Grisham from the Padres for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHPs Johny Brito, Randy Vasquez, and top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe (release)
The Diamondbacks agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract with LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (ESPN)
The Reds agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with 3B Jeimer Candelario (Cincinnati Enquirer)
The Nationals are signing INF Nick Senzel to a one-year, $2 million contract (New York Post)
The Dodgers and the Braves are showing interest in trading for RHP Tyler Glasnow (TB Times)