The San Francisco Giants would be unbeatable if coming in second place as a free agent was an Olympic competition. Regretfully, Yoshinobu Yamamoto recently acknowledged that if the Los Angeles Dodgers had not sought him, he probably would have signed with the Giants.
Once again, the San Francisco Giants come in second for a marquee free agent.
Yamamoto was reminded of Osaka, Japan, by San Francisco, according to Dylan Hernández of the Los Angeles Times. Although he stated that he wanted to sign with Los Angeles regardless of the other changes they made this offseason, it was thought that signing Shohei Ohtani had an impact on his decision.
Before the Orix Buffaloes posted Yamamoto, the Giants had done extensive scouting on him. They were seen to have an advantage early in the 25-year-old pitcher’s posting process, but once rumors of the Giants’ contingency plans circulated, it was clear that he was signing elsewhere.
Yamamoto agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract with the Dodgers. He becomes the newest member of an exclusive group that includes Tyler Glasnow, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Ohtani. On a roster full of elite talent, nevertheless good utility players like Max Muncy and Will Smith get neglected.
Given the amount of injuries some of their younger pitchers have had in previous seasons, it seems sense that the Dodgers still need to improve their starting rotation. Even free agent Clayton Kershaw is predicted to miss the first half of 2024 after having shoulder surgery in the summer.
The Dodgers are the clear favorites in the NL West, so it will be a very competitive division. The Arizona Diamondbacks, who defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason in 2023, are gearing up to make a big splash in the postseason again the following year. This means that the Giants and the still-talented San Diego Padres team will probably compete for the third slot in the division.
This winter, the Giants made one noteworthy acquisition when they signed Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract. They’re still looking for a starting front-line player. With Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, and Kyle Harrison in the lineup, they would have a strong front end if they sign one.
That being said, Giants supporters will not find it any easier to accept Yamamoto’s second-place finish. Over the previous ten years, they have finished second to a number of well-known players, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton, Zack Greinke, and Jon Lester.
There are additional instances, like as Vladimir Guerrero, Alfonso Soriano, and Carlos Lee, if you go back even farther. Yamamoto is just another player on the Giants’ extensive record of second-place results in free agency.