Yoshinobu Yamamoto Update: Japanese ace expected to make his decision in the next 48 hours, 3 teams still considered favorites

The latest reports on the ongoing Yoshinobu Yamamoto free agency saga suggest that the Japanese pitcher will make his decision in the next 48 hours, before Christmas. While the San Francisco Giants have been ruled out of the running as of today, there are still six teams in the mix: the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Boston Red Sox.

Among them, the two New York teams and the Dodgers are favorites to land him this winter.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto entered the MLB free agent market as the number two free agent in the country, but has now risen to number one after Shohei Ohtani's mega contract.

The 25-year-old starting pitcher is also expected to attract a historic contract from Japan's NPB, despite having no experience in the MLB. However, he is a proven talent who has previously taken the Japanese league by storm and shows the potential to do the same in the US.

Yoshinobu's free agency has gone on longer than anyone in the MLB had predicted. It is partly due to Ohtani's free agency, which had to be settled first, but also to the indecision on the youngster's part.

There has been no indication of his preference other than the fact that he wants to have a Japanese teammate. Several teams in the MLB qualify in that regard and are doing their best to make the most of it.

Where will Yoshinobu Yamamoto land in the MLB?

All the big MLB teams have played their cards in their efforts to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto and all that remains is for the Japanese ace to make a decision.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have used all their big names (including Shohei Ohtani) to convince Yamamoto, while the New York Yankees have turned to club legend Hideki Matsui to lend a helping hand.

The New York Mets are ready to dig deep into their pockets, while the Philadelphia Phillies counted to Bryce Harper to send a video message to convince him. No matter what decision he makes, it is now expected to be announced in the next 24 hours.