The Red Sox and Giants have emerged as two serious contenders for premier free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with both clubs recently offering the rising star contracts in excess of $300 million, according to MLB insider Jim Bowden.
While there are several teams in on Yamamoto, Boston and San Francisco are the first two teams to have salary offers leaked, giving a clear idea of the market for the Japanese pitching star.
The 25-year-old pitcher posted a 1.21 ERA over 164 innings last season in one of his best performances in his NPB career in Japan. He will now enter the major leagues with incredibly high expectations, with the winning bidder anticipating that Yamamoto would anchor a rotation from day one.
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The Dodgers, Yankees, Mets and Phillies are also reportedly serious contenders for the young pitcher, and should factor into his market before he makes his final decision.
