The Yankees skipper calls Yoshinobu Yamamoto a “special dude.”
Some Japanese pitchers want No. 18 because that’s what the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants gave their best pitcher in the 1960s in the Central League.
Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP and former Yankees star, made a movie that was shown at New York’s event.
From 2012 to 2014, Hiroki Kuroda proved the last Yankees starter to wear that number. It was worn by Daisuke Matsuzaka with Boston.
The number was in Kenta Maeda’s contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tomoyuki Sugano, an eight-time All-Star, wore it for the Yomiuri Giants.
Top teams are interested in Yamamoto, a right-handed pitcher who is a free agent. Yamamoto, who is 25 years old, has until January 4 to sign to a baseball team because that’s when the Orix Buffaloes put him on the market.
Boone and Yankees leaders met with Yamamoto to Los Angeles and once more in Manhattan. The New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Francisco Giants are also after Yamamoto.
“Now all of the teams are negotiating and putting their best foot forward.” That’s not my job. “Let’s see where it ends up,” Boone said.
“Hey, cool guy. Really there was something about him. Feeling good in his own skin. Sure of himself, but with respect for him. It’s been nice getting to know him.
Boone said, “I think he wants to be great.” “There’s some similarities there between him and Gerrit [Cole] with regards to how dedicated or disciplined and all-in they’re on pitching and baseball and their bodies and how to be successful.”
Boone spoke just north for Yankee Stadium before helping the 44th Precinct of the New York Police Department and the Food Bank for New York City distribute food and toys for the second year in a row.
A few hours after Boone’s show, outfielder Alex Verdugo went on Zoom to talk about the move that sent him out of Boston to New York on December 5.
In the quarterfinals of this year’s World Baseball Classic, Verdugo hit an opposite-field RBI double that broke the tie for Mexico against Yamamoto.
Boone said on Thursday, “We talked about various rivalries, like how the stadium feels in the playoffs or for huge regular-season events against the Red Sox.” “Our first game of the season is in Houston.”
That’s what we talked about. You could see that the competitions made him a little more excited.
It looks like it wasn’t enough to change his mind. It was late Thursday night when Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers. He chose to join Shohei Ohtani to Los Angeles.
The Mets made an offer of $300 million to Yamamoto, which was matched by the Dodgers. The Red Sox, Blue Jays, Giants, and Phillies were also interested.
This is the end of a long story that took away the Yankees’ top pitching target. The team had been watching the player in person for over twelve months, including when he threw a no-hitter to beat the Orix Buffaloes in September while general manager Brian Cashman cheered from the stands.
The leaders of the Yanks were optimistic about their chances of signing Yamamoto, but they have been thinking about what to do next.
Now, they could try to get back in touch with Jordan Montgomery or Frankie Montas, trade for Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, or try to sign Japanese player Shota Imanga.
On December 11, Yamamoto and his representative, Joel Wolfe, met with Boone, Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, and Matt Blake, the pitching coach, at a mansion in the Hollywood Hills.
The Yankees were represented by managing shareholder Hal Steinbrenner, team the president Randy Levine, and general manager Brian Cashman.
According to Boone, they met again upon Sunday in Manhattan. On Thursday, he was in the Bronx for a Christmas event with the Food Bank over New York City and the 44th Precinct, where he helped hand out food and toys.
Boone said of Yamamoto, “He’s a unique guy.” “He has a presence—he’s confident and at ease in his own skin—but he also has a humility about him.”
A less official setting where you can let your guard down and just talk freely has been great for getting to know him. “That was fun to do.”