Yankees, Mets not alone in scouting Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and his trusted advisor Omar Minaya attended Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s no-hitter in Chiba, Japan on Thursday -- but they were hardly alone.
According to a league source, the teams in attendance for the gem included the Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. That is not necessarily a complete list.
As SNY reported earlier this season, Mets GM Billy Eppler flew to Japan earlier this season and personally scouted Yamamoto.
Thursday’s game represented the second time high-ranking Yankees officials have watched Yamamoto; pro scouting director Matt Daley also recently traveled to watch him pitch.
Yamamoto, 25, is 14-5 this season. Scouts say he has a wider repertoire than Kodai Senga, who some teams considered an impact reliever before he proved himself as a starter this season with the Mets.
Yamamoto carries none of the questions that Senga did and is expected to command a price tag well in excess of the five-year, $75 million contract the Mets gave Senga.
