The Philadelphia Phillies made the first major signing of the MLB Hot Stove season on Sunday morning when the club resigned starting pitcher Aaron Nola. Nola, who became a free agent earlier in the month, agreed to a 7-year/$172MM deal to remain the longest tenured member of the Phillies. The Phils were reportedly tied to a variety of pitchers, including Japanese sensation Yonshinobu Yamamoto, in case a deal with Nola fell through.
Now that the Nola deal is done it means the Phillies are done, right? Not necessarily.
The Phillies could still be in the market for Yamamoto, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey. Coffey cites a “source with direct knowledge of the Phillies’ thinking” that the team will still kick the tires on the 25-year-old Far East star. The Phillies are looking to load the rotation with quality arms as they make a run for another World Series appearance.
Yamamoto is likely to be posted by the Orix Buffaloes as early as Monday according to reports. That will open the 45-day window for MLB teams to negotiate with Yamamoto. Any MLB team that signs Yamamoto, or any posted Japanese player, will be subject to posting fees negotiated with Nippon Professional Baseball. Yamamoto is expected to be a prized commodity on the free agent market with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Seattle Mariners reported to be among the most aggressive suitors.
