MLB Insider Sees Red Sox Participating In This Pitching Race

The Boston Red Sox are ready to search every avenue to upgrade their starting rotation this offseason.

Among the group of available arms, Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains among the best starters on the market. After being posted by the Orix Buffaloes, the right-hander looks to continue his dominant career in a move to Major League Baseball.

While several teams will certainly be in the mix to sign the 25-year-old, Boston should be among the options, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

“I do think that they will be particularly invested in the Yamamoto sweepstakes,” Speier told Alanna Rizzo on MLB Network’s “High Heat” on Tuesday. “When you think about the history of this organization, there’s a reason they were the winners when it came to Daisuke Matsuzaka about 16-17 years ago. They really value the sweet spot of age and elite performance.”

The Red Sox have done well in bringing in Japanese talent in recent memory from Matsuzaka, as Speier alluded to, as well as Hideki Okajima, Junichi Tazawa and Masataka Yoshida. That level of international scouting could play a factor in Boston’s pursuit of the talented starting pitcher.

Ultimately, the Red Sox will wait with other teams on what matters to Yamamoto in an eventual free agent decision.

“Of course, they’re not alone in that chase,” Speier added. “A lot of this is going to be driven by what Yamamoto ultimately decides are his preferences.”

As the 45-day posting period and the Winter Meetings approach, a match for Yamamoto should lie ahead for the coming weeks, either for the Red Sox or another club.