(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
We have said it many times: in MLB, it’s not always the team with the most money that gets the best free agents.
Sometimes the offers are so competitive and similar that you have to stand out with the little details.
A few days ago, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s camp announced he would be coming to the United States to meet face to face with interested teams.
The New York Mets, led by owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns, went ahead and traveled 14 hours to Japan to meet with Yamamoto and his team.
As a result, the Mets have now leveled the playing field and are considered among the favorites for the Japanese ace.
“The Mets seem ‘better-positioned’ in the Yoshinobu Yamamoto market following their visit with him in Japan, per @martinonyc: ‘Mets officials flew 14 hours from New York to Tokyo, ate French/Japanese cuisine with a small group that included Yamamoto, his mother, and Kodai Senga’s translator, Hiro Fujiwara, and flew back,’” SNY tweeted before revealing more details of the meeting.
The Mets seem “better-positioned” in the Yoshinobu Yamamoto market following their visit with him in Japan, per @martinonyc:
“Mets officials flew 14 hours from New York to Tokyo, ate French/Japanese cuisine with a small group that included Yamamoto, his mother, and Kodai Senga’s… pic.twitter.com/ZPB5EfqD9i
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 8, 2023
The Mets, per SNY, wanted to make clear “the depth and seriousness of the Mets interest, and to give the pitcher the chance to get to know the team and its top executives.”
It was definitely a statement, a strong message to tell Yamamoto: “Hey, we are so interested in having you on our team that we flew across the ocean to meet you on your home soil.”
Martino says that the Mets’ idea was “a success” and that the trip helped put the Mets among the favorites to sign the Pacific League MVP.
Yamamoto had a 1.21 ERA in 164 innings in Japan this year and is considered one of the best free-agent pitchers on the market.
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