The bidding war for pitching phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto is reportedly set to begin.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Yamamoto was posted by his Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team, the Orix Buffaloes, on Monday. As a result, MLB teams will have the opportunity to negotiate a contract with the ace righty.
That negotiating window begins at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday and will run for 45 days. Whichever team signs Yamamoto must submit terms no later than 5 p.m. ET on January 4, 2024.
Even though two-time AL MVP and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani currently stands as the top free-agent target on the market this winter, Yamamoto falls right behind his fellow countryman as arguably the best pitcher available.