Why Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with Dodgers over Yankees, per Brian Cashman

Besides Shohei Ohtani, no free agent was more coveted this MLB offseason than Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The star duo ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the New York Yankees made a strong push for Yamamoto before he decided to take his talents to LA.

Yankees fans were irate that general manager Brian Cashman couldn’t get a deal done with the Japanese pitching sensation, but from what he says, New York did all they could to sign the 25-year-old. While appearing on the Talkin’ Yanks podcast on Thursday, Cashman said he thinks the weather played a factor in Yamamoto’s decision.

“We were confident we did everything we possibly could. He came down to a very difficult decision between us and the Dodgers. We did everything right but we can’t necessarily simulate California West Coast,” Cashman said.

Cashman mentioned that the weather was beautiful when they initially met with Yamamoto’s camp in Beverly Hills, Calif. The same could not be said when Yamamoto came to New York for another meeting, where Cashman said it was cold and raining as a typical northeast winter does.

Dodgers taking over “Evil Empire” mantra?

The Yankees reportedly made just as big of an offer as the Dodgers did, or at least one that competed with the 12-year, $325 million megadeal Yamamoto signed. It’s hard to fault Cashman if that was the case, but Yankees fans will probably still try to find a way to crucify him for setting a meeting on a rainy weekday in December as if that would have made a difference.

It’s hard to deny what the Dodgers offered Yamamoto not just financially. The opportunity to win a World Series every season and play in Los Angeles, on top of making $27 million across a 12-year contract, is hard to pass up.

It might be a tough pill for Yankees fans to swallow, but maybe wearing the pinstripes doesn’t have the same appeal as it once did.