Yoshinobu Yamamoto has second meetings with Yankees, Mets

Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) reacts against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Yoshinobu Yamamoto continues to be the talk of the MLB offseason now that Shohei Ohtani has signed. And the Japanese pitcher apparently is giving the teams he’s considering a closer look.

Yamamoto met with the New York Mets a second time when he ate dinner at the home of Mets owner Steve Cohen on Saturday night. That marked the second time he had met with Cohen, who previously flew to Japan to meet with the pitcher.

Then on Sunday, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees’ second meeting with Yamamoto concluded that day.

Yankees meeting today, which has now ended, was requested by coveted free agent righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 18, 2023

The Yankees previously had met with Yamamoto in Los Angeles.

In addition to the Yankees and Mets, the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays are among the teams said to be in contention to sign Yamamoto. There has been recent chatter that Yamamoto’s deal might not only eclipse $300 million, but also be for well over 10 years.

The 25-year-old pitcher has been the Pacific League MVP for three years in a row, a span during which he won the pitching triple crown in each season. He has gone 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA in his Nippon Professional Baseball career.