Yoshinobu Yamamoto is one of the most sought-after starting pitchers in MLB Free Agency. There are many teams interested in the 25-year-old, but his recent hangout with Lars Nootbaar suggests the St. Louis Cardinals could be making a push for him.

Could Yoshinobu Yamamoto join Lars Nootbaar and the Cardinals?

Yamamoto went golfing with Nootbaar on Thursday, per B/R Walk-Off. Naturally, St. Louis fans were excited about the spotting. Some are quick to call Yamamoto a “future Cardinal,” but others are skeptical.

One X user said this: “Let's not get ahead of ourselves. They were teammates in the World Baseball Classic. Okay everyone? Relax.” Another fan brought up an important point about the Cardinals' lackluster team performance.

“[Yamamoto] doesn't wanna be in perpetual last place so the Cardinals are out sadly.”

St. Louis finished the 2023 season with a record of 71-91 and was last in the National League standings. The Cardinals are making moves to elevate their team to make an MLB Playoffs return. The team would be ecstatic to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto has pitched to a 75-30 record with a 1.72 ERA and a 986/216 K/BB ratio in his seven years in the NPB league. His talents would bolster the Cardinals' pitching attack. If the Japanese pitcher does not land in St. Louis though, the Cardinals have a reliable backup plan.

Veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas averaged 1.32 for WHIP and an ERA of 4.78, both of which ranked top 40 in the MLB. Mikolas should be able to provide stable production if St. Louis cannot strike gold on Yamamoto.

As MLB Free Agency progresses, Cardinals fans await the moves their team will make to improve the club's play.