"It's his if he wants to keep it" - Aaron Boone gifts Yoshinobu Yamamoto a Yankees No. 18 jersey during meeting

Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees recently met with top-rated free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Sunday. They are among several other teams considered finalists for the international ace.

The other teams in on Yamamoto are the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. Without a doubt, it will be a bidding war to land the Japanese flamethrower.

However, Boone feels good about the meeting. They talked about everything, from playing in the Bronx to a special message from former star Hideki Matsui. During the meeting, Boone even gifted Yoshinobu Yamamoto a Yankees' No. 18 jersey.

"It's his if he wants to keep it" stated Boone.

Aaron Boone loves everything about Yamamoto, from his abilities on the mound to his desire to be great. He and the front office are pulling out all the stops to secure one of the best arms on the market.

Time is starting to run out for Yamamoto as he tries to decide his future. He has until January 4 to decide, as that is his deadline. Expect these final teams to get even more aggressive over the next few days in hopes of landing the ace.

---

Aaron Boone believes Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be a great fit for the Yankees

Japan Training Session

There is no denying that the Yankees had one of the most disappointing seasons in recent years. They finished the year in fourth place in the American League East with an 82-80 record, a few games ahead of the Red Sox in last place.

Injuries and lackluster performances plagued the team nearly all season. Pitchers had trouble getting and staying healthy alongside key players like Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader, Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Rizzo.

Now, they have the opportunity to put the 2023 season behind them. They should be a much better team with the addition of Juan Soto. Soto should relieve pressure from Judge, Rizzo, and Stanton to carry the offense alone.

Adding Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be an excellent fit for the team's rotation. This is an area that they struggled, and many predict a much better season from Carlos Rodon. A rotation consisting of Gerrit Cole, Yamamoto, and Rodon would not be something opposing teams would be excited to face.

Landing Yamamoto is Aaron Boone's top priority, and he has made that clear. They view him as somebody who could be a frontline starter and Cy Young Award candidate for years to come.