Red Sox reportedly offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto more than $300M
BOSTON – The Red Sox have been quiet so far this offseason. But according to two Saturday reports, the team is trying to change that amid the bidding war for star Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yamamoto has been taking meetings with big market teams in recent weeks. The Red Sox were previously reported to be among those teams.
On Saturday, baseball analyst Marino Pepén posted on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, saying the Red Sox have offered "just over" $300 million, "with causes and incentives convenient for both parties."
Los #RedSox le han hecho una oferta a Yoshinobu Yamamoto de poco más de $300 MM, con cláusulas e incentivos convenientes para las dos partes.
— Marino Pepén (@Marino_Pepen) December 16, 2023
La suerte está echada…#MediasRojas#MLB
MLB analyst and former general manager Jim Bowden later added his own report about the offer. Bowden said the Red Sox and San Francisco Giants both made "a strong recent push" for Yamamoto.
The #Giants and #RedSox both making a strong recent push for Yoshinobu Yamamoto both with offers more than $300 million dollars according to sources. Certainly others too making strong runs.
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) December 16, 2023
Bowden said that both teams offered over $300 million.
"Certainly others too making strong runs," Bowden said.
The Mets are among those other teams, and Yamamoto reportedly had dinner at the house of Mets owner Steve Cohen "with a Mets contingent" on Saturday night, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto had dinner on Saturday at Steve Cohen's house with a Mets contingent, The Post has learned
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 17, 2023
Yamamoto went 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP for the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball league last season in Japan. He struck out 169 batters over 164 innings last season to earn the pitcher's Triple Crown.