As teams around the league scour free agency for pitching, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will certainly be atop many franchise's wish list. The New York Mets and New York Yankees are two clubs rumored to be interested in signing Yamamoto.

Working in both squads interest is Yamamoto's desire to pitch in a big market. With both the Mets and Yankees offering that opportunity, two MLB executives have predicted that Yamamoto will end up signing with one of the two teams, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

The Yankees have the 2023 AL Cy Young winner on their team in Gerrit Cole. However, only one other pitcher with over 100 innings thrown – Michael King – held an ERA below 4.50. New York will have Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon coming back from injury. However, another stud in their rotation could push the Yankees back into the postseason.

By trading Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the deadline, the Mets completely bolstered their farm system. However, it left them weak in the pitching department. The current rotation is filled with question marks beyond Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana. Yamamoto would give the Mets a fiery 1-2 punch with Senga to lead off the rotation.

In either situation, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be a perfect fit. He pitched to a 75-30 record with a 1.72 ERA and a 986/216 K/BB ratio over his seven years in NPB. He is a three-time Triple Crown and Sawamura Award – Japan's equivalent of Cy Young winner. Yamamoto is also a two-time Pacific League MVP.

Like many teams, Yamamoto will be a primary free agent target of the Mets and Yankees. But their big market atmosphere might be the deciding factor in the Yamamoto sweepstakes.