Phillies news and rumors 9/10: Potential Phillies offseason target Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws no-hitter

Citizens Bank Park has been home to the Phillies since 2004. (Bern Carey)

Late last month, it was reported the Philadelphia Phillies were one of “at least” 10 teams to have scouted Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old right-hander has garnered a decent amount of attention recently, not only because of his spectacular career numbers in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, but also because it’s expected that he’ll be posted this winter, meaning Major League teams will be able to bid for his services.

Yamamoto, who pitches for the Orix Buffaloes, added to his lore on Saturday as he threw the second no-hitter of his career in a start against the Chiba Lotte Marines. He faced 29 batters — walking one, hitting another and striking out eight while throwing 102 total pitches. The Phillies, according to Erik Boland of Newsday, were one of about 15 teams to have scouts in attendance during the no-hitter.

The other no-no the righty has to his name came last year.

Before his most recent start, Yamamoto had a 1.28 ERA and 144 strikeouts to just 23 walks in 141 innings of work this season. In 168 career NPB appearances, he had tossed 867 innings across seven seasons with a 1.86 ERA. He also pitched for Team Japan earlier this year in the World Baseball Classic where he made two appearances, allowing two runs in 7 1/3 innings with 12 strikeouts.

Scouting reports suggest the 25-year-old offers hitters a look at four different pitches — a four-seam fastball, cutter, curveball and splitter. Those reports also say he can reach the high-90s with his fastball.

Whether or not the Phillies will have serious interest in Yamamoto isn’t known at this time. They may have a need for a starter this winter, though, depending on what happens with free-agent-to-be Aaron Nola, who continued his lackluster 2023 campaign last night. Nola was charged with four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander now has a 4.64 ERA in 29 starts this year.

If Philadelphia doesn’t retain Nola, Yamamoto could become a viable option for the front office to pursue for the club’s 2024 rotation and beyond. In terms of what a contract for the Japanese-born right-hander could look like, the five-year, $75 million contract Kodai Senga signed with the New York Mets this past offseason could be a template. Before pitching in the big leagues, Senga pitched in NPB.

However, Yamamoto is younger than Senga, 30, and has better career numbers in NPB when comparing the two pitchers. So it’s possible Yamamoto asks for more than what Senga ultimately signed for.

Among the other teams to have reportedly scouted the right-hander are the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs. Yankees’ senior vice president and general manager Brian Cashman was among a number of Major League executives and scouts

in attendance for Yamamoto’s no-hitter on Saturday.

The no-no was the 100th such game in the history of professional baseball in Japan.

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