Yoshinobu Yamamoto had dinner on Saturday night at Steve Cohen’s Connecticut home, The Post has learned.
The meeting accentuated that the Mets are strong contenders as this negotiation moves into the final innings.
The actual bidding process is supposed to intensify this week with the expectation of a deal being finalized before the new year. The window to sign Yamamoto closes on 5 p.m. Jan. 4.
The Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox, Phillies and Blue Jays are also considered contenders for the 25-year-old Japanese ace.
At this point in the process, the dinner at Cohen’s home was still viewed as more fact finding and getting to know each other. But it was a step forward from when Cohen and Stearns flew to Japan to meet Yamamoto because this version included a larger contingent from both the team and player side.
Yamamoto is at the center of the Mets’ offseason strategy. Because of his age and excellence – he has won the last three Sawamura Awards (Japan’s version of the Cy Young award) – the Mets are willing to bid substantially for him even though their priority is long term over the 2024 season. The Mets see Yamamoto has valuable to both timeframes.
If they do not land Yamamoto, their plan is not to pivot to the next best starters in the free-agent market such as Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, but rather to fill their significant pitching needs with shorter, less-costly deals.