MLB Insider expects Yoshinobu Yamamoto's contract to be 'well over $200 million'

Putting aside Shohei Ohtani's impending new deal in the MLB, Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is perhaps the most intriguing free agent available in the market. Having been posted to the MLB by his former team Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball League just days earlier, he has already attracted the attention of several teams. In fact, according to MLB Insider Steve Phillips, the 25-year-old pitcher will likely earn a contract well above $200 million from any team he signs with.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto started his professional baseball career in the NPB with the Orix Buffaloes in 2017 and quickly rose to be one of the best pitchers in Japan. He is a five-time All-Star in Japan and has also won the Pacific League MVP twice in the last three years. He was also part of the Japanese national team that won the World Baseball Classic in Miami earlier this year.

The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher has already attracted interest from the New York Yankees as well as the New York Mets, while the San Francisco Giants are also expected to join the race. Speaking on the popular MLB show "High Heat", former Mets executive Steve Phillips said that he expects a contract of around eight years, which will amount to well over $200 million for Yamamoto:

"I think he's looking at a megadeal. He's gonna blow away the Masahiro Tanaka contract with the Yankees... He's going well over $200 million, and he's worth it."

Yoshinobu Yamamoto reportedly wants to play with other Japanese players in the MLB

Ever since hitting the MLB market on Monday, Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been the subject of considerable debate regarding who he will sign for. The two-time MVP from Japan is one of the hottest free agents on the market right now, and the latest reports suggest that he wants to play with other Japanese players. As such, he is expected to wait until the end of the winter meetings to make his decision on his future. Teams like the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants have already expressed interest, but the final decision may be made on other factors altogether.