Red Sox Reportedly Making Yoshinobu Yamamoto ‘Top Priority’

It’s been a slow few weeks for Red Sox fans who wanted to see a big splash this Major League Baseball offseason, but we’ve got one report that should have those in Boston sitting up in their chairs.

The Red Sox appear to be a real contender for top pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto, who is expected to earn more than $200 million on the open market, is one of the Boston’s top priorities at the MLB winter meetings, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. The 25-year-old is expected to sign after Shohei Ohtani, but before the end of the month, as noted by Morosi.

It was reported last week by ESPN’s Jeff Passan the Red Sox were among the favorites to land Yamamoto. The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs also were listed as contenders. The San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies were expected to be in the mix, as well.

It’s expected Yamamoto would prefer to sign with a team that has a Japanese player, as he’s making the jump from Nippon Professional Baseball. He won three straight Eiji Sawamura Awards as the top starting pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes.

His teammates with Orix? Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projected Yamamoto would receive a seven-year, $212 million deal. That’s not a bad rate for someone who has a 1.72 ERA in seven professional seasons.