Yoshinobu Yamamoto is making Mariners fans nostalgic for infamous free agent scheme

Being a sports fan involves dealing with heartache and disappointment, which then often leads to wondering about what could have been. In some respects this can be perceived as a coping mechanism, and you know Seattle Mariners fans are deep down this rabbit hole at the moment.

For many people, it should be the Mariners playing in the World Series rather than a Toronto Blue Jays team they took to a Game 7 in the ALCS despite not playing up to their full potential. And that sickening feeling in the pit of the stomach is only becoming more unbearable for fans, as they watch the Blue Jays outplay the Los Angeles Dodgers and now sit just one more win away from claiming their third championship in franchise history.

One of the main reasons the Dodgers are still hanging in there though is due to the heroics of 2025 All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose complete game in a 5-1 win in Game 2 tied the World Series at 1-1. This was his second consecutive complete game, and it only adds another layer to what could have been for the M's, who were linked to him in fee agency during the 2023 offseason:

At the time back in November 2023, MLB Network's Jon Morosi suggested the Mariners should sign the highly coveted Yamamoto and then trade a pitcher for a bat. However, this was never truly a realistic proposition, which was only reinforced when the Japanese righty signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.

Despite this reality though, you do have to at least wonder about what could have been if the Mariners had found a way to make it happen. Yamamoto helped the Dodgers win the World Series last year and this season has taken his game to another level and become one of the top starters in the majors.

Mariners sure could have used a starter who can go deep in these playoffs

However, it's Yamamoto's majestic form during these playoffs which must really sting for Mariners fans, with the invaluable commodity of saving his bullpen from having to work at all in his last two starts. This is in stark contrast to the M's rotation, which combined for just 27.1 innings over the seven games during the ALCS versus the Blue Jays.

Again, the chances of signing Yamamoto were never truly realistic for Seattle given how Mariners ownership operates, but if you're a fan it won't stop you being nostalgic for the infamous free agent scheme. At one point, just getting to the World Series was the goal, but how it's playing out now makes you realize the M's could have actually won the whole damn thing, especially if they had a starter who could go deep into games.