Phillies Target Joins Legendary Company BY MATTHEW POSTINS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED INSIDE THE PHILLIES UPDATED NOVEMBER 29, 2023 8:18 AM 00:43 00:52 “That’s baseball sometimes” Thomson reflects on heartbreaking NLCS loss to D-backs SNTV Awards can be a valuable piece of the puzzle when determining a player’s value. Well, NPB superstar pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto added another to his case for MLB free agency on Tuesday. Yamamoto, who earlier this month won the Sawamura Award, which is the Japanese Cy Young, for the third straight season, was named the Pacific League MVP for the third straight season. It should make a nice conversation piece for the Philadelphia Phillies who are believed to be interested in the 25-year-old star as a free agent. After he was posted last Monday by the Buffaloes, his agent, Joel Wolfe, told news outlets that at least 11 to 14 teams had reached out to him about Yamamoto in the first 24 hours. Those teams are having Zoom calls and phone calls with Yamamoto and his agent this week while the pitcher does the awards circuit. After the MLB winter meetings next week, he is expected to return to the U.S. and talk with the finalists. He must have a deal by Jan. 4 or he reverts back to his Japanese team, the Orix Buffaloes. His MVP award put him elite company. He became just the third player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to be named an MVP in three straight seasons. The other two are legends — Ichiro Suzuki (1994-96) and Hisashi Yamada (1976-78). Powered by TaboolaRECOMMENDED FOR YOU COLLEGE SPORTS NC State Coach Dave Doeren Unloads NSFW Rant on ‘Pieces of S—’ UNC Nov 26, 2023 NORTH CAROLINA High school student dies after jumping from moving bus, NC cops say. ‘Heartbreaking’ Nov 28, 2023 COLLEGE SPORTS Mack Brown on UNC Loss to Wolfpack: ‘I Did a Very Poor Job’ Nov 26, 2023 LUKE DECOCK NC State linebacker Payton Wilson deals one final rivalry blow as Wolfpack thumps UNC Nov 25, 2023 Ichiro played with Orix as well, and that wasn’t lost on Yamamoto when he talked after receiving the award. “I’m happy to have done the same as him,” Yamomoto said. “Everyone looks up to him, and I’m one of those.” Yamamoto is considered the crown jewel of a group of talented Asian players that have either been posted or will be posted soon. Two other Japanese pitchers — Shota Imagana and Naoyuki Uwasawa — were posted on Monday
