MLB Free Agency

The New York Yankees are reportedly eyeing two of the top starting pitchers available in MLB free agency.

According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Yankees are "among the most active teams" in terms of pursuing free-agent starters, and they have shown interest in both Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and longtime Philadelphia Phillies star Aaron Nola.

The Yanks could be major players in free agency after going just 82-80 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Yamamoto is perhaps the most highly sought-after free agent on the market outside of Los Angeles Angels two-way megastar Shohei Ohtani.

At just 25 years of age, Yamamoto is younger than the vast majority of players when they hit free agency for the first time, and he has an impressive track record of success in the Pacific League.

Playing for the Orix Buffaloes since 2017, Yamamoto is 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 922 strikeouts over 897 innings.

The 2023 season was Yamamoto's best, as he went 16-6 in 23 Pacific League appearances with a 1.21 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 169 strikeouts in 164 innings.

When Yamamoto threw a no-hitter in September, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was in attendance, so New York's interest in the talented righty is no secret.

Cashman had success searching for pitching in Japan in the past, as he signed Masahiro Tanaka prior to the 2014 season, and he went on to go 78-46 with a 3.74 ERA in his seven seasons in pinstripes and earned two All-Star selections.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Yamamoto is expected to be posted this week, and the Yanks are among the teams rumored to be interested, along with the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.

Nola, 30, is a far more established player at the Major League level with nine years of MLB experience.

The one-time All-Star owns a career record of 90-71 with a 3.72 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 1,582 strikeouts over 1,422 innings. Last season was one of his worst statistical campaigns, as he went 12-9 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, plus a strikeout rate of 9.4 per nine innings, which was his lowest since his rookie year in 2015.

Nola was better in the playoffs during the Phillies' run to the National League Championship Series, going 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in four starts.

The Yankees have spent huge money on starting pitching in free agency in recent years, signing Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract in 2019 and Carlos Rodón to a six-year, $162 million deal last offseason.

Cole has continued to be one of the best pitchers in the league since signing with the Yankees, while Rodón battled injuries last season and went just 3-8 with a 6.85 ERA in 14 starts.

It can be argued that the Yanks' biggest need is more protection in the lineup for superstar slugger Aaron Judge, but with Luis Severino, Domingo Germán and Frankie Montas potentially set to leave in free agency, pitching remains a need as well.