"They're way more in this than people realize" - Former Astros pitcher believes Mets are the favorites to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Following Shohei Ohtani’s record-breaking move to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is now arguably the biggest name on the free agency market.

The Japanese sensation has been meeting with a host of teams, including the Dodgers, both New York clubs - Yankees and Mets, and Boston Red Sox.

With the passage of time, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s estimated contract value is also on the rise. Speculations suggest that Yamamoto will land a contract north of $300 million. Whether those numbers materialize, only time will tell.

Recently, former Houston Astros pitcher Brad Lidge appeared on the MLB Network Radio, where he talked about why he believes the Mets are the favorites to land Yamamoto. He said:

“Is Yamamoto’s priority winning? Well, he’s never been in the Major leagues. We don’t know this. This is his big time contract, this is the one he’s gonna get. So is it more about money? Is it more about winning? Is it more about playing with Ohtani? We don’t know. Is it more to the question you just asked about?”

“Making sure he’s kind of the big splash wherever he goes. And I think all those things are unknown right by and large. But typically, when everything is unknown, money generally plays. And I think that’s why, for me, I’ve continued to say, I think the Mets are way more in this than people realise.”

He added:

“Yamamoto would be the big acquisition for the Mets. Not for the Yankees, who got Soto. Not for the Dodgers, who got Ohtani.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s prolonged free agency has left many frustrated

Yamamoto’s prolonged free agency has been a topic of discussion among MLB fans and analysts, with some getting frustrated over how long it’s taking the coveted ace and his entourage to make a decision.

Per reports, it’s likely that any decision on Yamamoto’s free agency could stretch all the way to the Jan. 4 deadline.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto used to pitch for the Orix Buffaloes of NPB and had been doing so since 2017. Through his career with them, the Japanese star has pitched a 1.82 ERA, has bagged three MVP Awards, three NPB Triple Crowns, and has also won the 2022 Japan Series.