Breaking: New York Yankees’ Biggest Rivals Named As Top Landing Spot For Top Target

It sounds like one of the New York Yankees’ biggest rivals could be pursuing a superstar to help bolster the outfield.

The Toronto Blue Jays entered the offseason looking to make a major move. Toronto attempted to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and even was mentioned among the top suitors for him. Although that is the case, the Blue Jays ultimately lost out to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now Toronto is looking for a new way to improve the club and has been linked to rumored Yankees target Cody Bellinger. MLB.com’s Will Leitch even pegged the Blue Jays as the top landing spot for Bellinger.

“What better way to ease that lingering disappointment over (Shohei Ohtani) than by bringing in the next-best free-agent hitter? Bellinger certainly won’t cost the Jays $700 million, and he is the left-handed bat this lineup needs to go with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and George Springer,” Leitch said. Bellinger could play left field, or he could play center and move Daulton Varsho to left — either way, those are big upgrades both defensively and offensively.

“(With Kevin Kiermaier a free agent, Toronto’s third outfield spot is currently up in the air.) The same justifications for bringing in Ohtani hold for bringing in Bellinger, and it would be the jolt this franchise seems to need right now.”

New York was seen as the favorite to land Bellinger over the last few months but seemingly isn’t interested anymore after landing Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham. Although this is the case, the Yankees still are viewed as a top landing spot for Bellinger.

Toronto already was solid last season. If the Blue Jays could land Bellinger this offseason, it would just make the American League East more competitive.

 

 

Yankees have Yoshinobu Yamamoto decision to make as bidding war heats up

It’s no secret that the Yankees are aggressively pursuing Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

A Yankees contingent met with the Japanese ace in Southern California this past week, attempting to woo the right-hander. Even as the sought-after starter continued to speak with other teams throughout this week, the Yankees’ confidence that they’ll be the franchise that Yamamoto picks has been seemingly indestructible.

Reinforcing the starting staff is this club’s No. 1 priority after the Yankees were able to acquire three left-handed outfielders, including superstar Juan Soto. A one-two punch of Gerrit Cole and Yamamoto would be one of the game’s best, a formidable package atop a rotation weighed down by question marks.

What we don’t know for sure is just how much ownerHal Steinbrenner is willing to spend in this chase for the talented 25-year-old. That’s a decision the Yankees need to make with urgency as the price tag attached to this front-line starter continues to rise … and the deadline for Yamamoto to pick a team inches closer.

The narrative all along was that Mets owner Steve Cohen would turn out to be the Yankees’ biggest threat here. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman even quipped at the Winter Meetings that he wasn’t sure if anybody could compete with Cohen — who has the deepest pockets in the sport — if this came down to a bidding war. The Dodgers are a contender here as well, a powerhouse that isn’t satisfied even after signing Shohei Ohtani to a record-setting contract and trading for Tyler Glasnow. By deferring the vast majority of Ohtani’s $700 million deal, Los Angeles is positioned to match any offer for Yamamoto.

Steinbrenner and the Yankees have even more competition when it comes to the financials, though. Both the Giants and Red Sox have made offers of more than $300 million to Yamamoto, Jim Bowden of CBS Sports and The Athletic reported on Saturday.

Remember the initial free-agency projections that had Yamamoto earning just north of $200 million this winter? MLB Trade Rumors had the Japanese right-hander pocketing $225 million over nine years back in November. Now, there’s a legitimate chance that Yamamoto will set a record for signing the biggest contract ever for a starting pitcher. Anything above $324 million — which is what the Yankees gave Cole for nine years prior to the 2020 season — will give him that title.

An opportunity to sign a 25-year-old ace doesn’t come around very often. Usually top-tier starters don’t hit free agency until 30, if not later — that’s the case for Blake Snell (31), Aaron Nola (30) and Jordan Montgomery (31 next week) this winter. Yamamoto has never thrown a pitch in an MLB game, though. His track record of dominance in Japan suggests that he’ll effectively transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to the big leagues and he has faced MLB hitters before. Are teams ready to give him one of the biggest free-agent deals ever and commit to a decade-long contract? It becomes more of a risk as the cost climbs.

The Yankees are prepared to spend on Yamamoto. Their willingness to part with starter Michael King and top prospect Drew Thorpe in the trade for Soto with the Padres is proof that they mean business this offseason. Steinbrenner, Cashman and company are on a mission to bounce back from an 82-80 season. They want Yamamoto just as badly as they did Soto. But even Steinbrenner has his limits.

Other factors will play a role here, some that are out of the Yankees’ control. Does Yamamoto prefer to play with another Japanese player, like Ohtani or Mets righty Kodai Senga? Is he open to signing with a team that doesn’t play on the West Coast? Will he prioritize winning and the quality of the roster he’s committing to over his salary?

If it comes down to legacy and spotlight, a global brand in a massive market with championship expectations, the Yankees have to feel good about their chances. Start printing the “YamaSoto” merchandise.

If it comes down to which team offers the biggest contract, then it’s up to Steinbrenner to raise, call or fold.