New York Yankees Aren't Interested in Japanese Star Pitcher

There have been rumors that the New York Yankees are interested in starting pitching this offseason. They were in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and after missing on him, the Yankees are still looking for others who can help them out.

Of the available arms, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Shota Imanaga are regarded as three of the top options. Dylan Cease and others are also potential trade targets who New York could show interest in.

But, according to Jon Heyman, the Yankees aren't interested in Imanaga.

Heyman noted on B/R Walk-Off that the team isn't interested in a fly ball pitcher, and while they have interest in a left-handed arm, he's not the one that they're going after.

Imanaga has good stuff and should be able to succeed in the big leagues. The 30-year-old posted a 2.80 ERA and struck out 174 in 148 innings in the NPB during 2023, but did give up 46 home runs.

While he was elite in Japan, New York's concerns are valid.

Bringing in an arm that doesn't keep the ball on the ground or strike hitters out at an elite rate could be an issue, especially in Yankee Stadium. Imanaga did strikeout hitters at an above-average clip in Japan, but could feat that won't translate to Major League Baseball.

As there are other options out there for them to pursue, going after the options that have big-league experience makes sense. The team is in a win-now situation and doesn't have the luxury of taking a risk for a pitcher that might not help them compete for a World Series.