"That seemed to light him up" - Aaron Boone suggests Yankees' rivalry with Astros, Red Sox could prove decisive in Yoshinobu Yamamoto pursuit

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is, without question, the most sought-after starting pitcher on the free-agent market. The 25-year-old Japanese sensation is set to make the jump from the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to North America this offseason, with teams lining up for the chance to sign him.

One of the betting favorites to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have made the phenom one of their top targets this offseason, something that many experts believe could come to fruition.

"The Yankees gave Yoshinobu Yamamoto his own #18 jersey when they met with him, per @BrendanKutyNJ. Aaron Boone said "it's his if he wants to keep it" - @TalkinYanks

The New York Yankees, much like a number of clubs across the MLB, have met with Yamamoto and his team. According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, the meeting not only went well, but he believes that a discussion about the iconic club's rivalries helped the team's pursuit.

Boone said that the discussion about the Yankees' rivalries with the Boston Red Sox, as well as their recent playoff battles with the Houston Astros, appeared to have piqued his interest.

“That seemed to light him up a little bit," Boone said of Yamamoto's response to the rivalry talks.

"One thing Yoshinobu Yamamoto asked about was the Yankees’ rivalries, according to Aaron Boone, who said he talked about what Yankee Stadium feels like in the playoffs and for games against the Red Sox and Astros. “That seemed to light him up a little bit.” - @BryanHoch

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to sign a lucrative contract before his January 4 deadline

Since Yamamoto was posted by the Orio Buffaloes, he has until January 4 to sign with an MLB team. If he does not sign with a club, he will return to Japan for the upcoming season.

That being said, it appears likely that Yamamoto will decide on his MLB future before reaching said deadline. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies are among the teams that have met with the Japanese sensation.

Although there have been conflicting reports on the number that Yamamoto may sign for, there have been rumors that he could secure himself a contract in the $300m-$400m range. So if the New York Yankees hope to land him, they will need to pay up.