In what promises to be a heated offseason for New York's baseball franchises, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees are gearing up to compete for the coveted Japanese right-handed pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently made history by winning the Pacific League MVP Award for the third consecutive season. This accolade adds to his already impressive list of accomplishments, which include three straight Sawamura Awards (equivalent to the Cy Young Award) and three consecutive Golden Gloves.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Yamamoto is set to become the recipient of a groundbreaking nine-year, $225 million deal, which would be the largest contract ever awarded to a Japanese player entering Major League Baseball, surpassing the previous record of $155 million set by the Yankees when they signed right-handed pitcher Masahiro Tanaka back in 2014.

At just 25 years old, Yamamoto is not only considered the best pitcher in Japan but also comes without the attached penalties of qualifying offers imposed on pitchers like Blake Snell and Sonny Gray. However, the team that secures Yamamoto's talents will be required to pay a posting fee. This fee is calculated as 20% of the contract's first $25 million, 17.5% of the subsequent $25 million, and 15% of any amount exceeding that, which will be allocated to his former team, the Orix Buffaloes.

Yamamoto's statistics speak for themselves, as he has displayed utter dominance in Japan, maintaining an impressive ERA of 1.44 over the last three seasons. He achieved a WHIP no higher than 0.93 in 2022, with a remarkable H/9 ratio of 6.4 or below ever since his rookie year in 2017. With a career BB/9 of 2.0 and only 36 home runs conceded in 967 innings, Yamamoto proves himself to be a formidable force on the mound.

The Mets, in particular, have a pressing need to bolster their rotation. Apart from Japanese standout Kodai Senga, their starting pitchers present a significant question mark. Although they have José Quintana, who missed half of the 2023 season and will be 35 years old on Opening Day, the Mets lack consistent options beyond Senga and Quintana. Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, and David Peterson offer depth but have yet to establish a full season of reliability at the major league level. Peterson, recovering from hip surgery, will begin the upcoming season on the injured list.

Interestingly, Senga has actively expressed his desire for Yamamoto to join the Mets, even vowing to assist in the team's recruiting efforts. While the Mets possess a talented pool of pitching prospects, including Mike Vasil, Dominic Hamel, Blade Tidwell, Christian Scott, and Tyler Stuart, it is unlikely that they will be ready to make an immediate impact at the major league level, according to Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns.

Yamamoto has started meeting with interested teams via Zoom this week and will continue discussions into the Winter Meetings in Nashville next week. His agent, Joel Wolfe, confirmed that Yamamoto will ultimately return to the United States following the meetings. The negotiating period for teams pursuing Yamamoto will extend until January 4. While the Mets and Yankees are expected to be prominent contenders for his services, reports suggest that the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox also have a strong interest in securing the star right-hander's services.

With both the Mets and Yankees boasting significant financial resources, this offseason presents an opportunity for the two franchises to engage in a highly anticipated battle to secure the services of a marquee player. Mets owner Steve Cohen, in particular, has already demonstrated a willingness to spend generously, leading fans to eagerly anticipate an exciting showdown between the cross-town rivals.

As the winter unfolds, all eyes will be on the negotiations surrounding Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as the anticipation builds for what could potentially be a record-breaking deal and a significant turning point for both the Mets and the Yankees.