The Yankees used their rivalry with Red Sox and Astros in an attempt to recruit Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has still not signed and remains one of, if not, the biggest free agent available in the MLB. The New York Yankees are rumored to be incredibly interested in signing the star pitcher. Now, some of their recruitment tactics for Yamamoto have come to light.

It’s well known the Yankees have a heated rivalry with both the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros. So much so, that the franchise is using its rivalries to recruit Yoshinobu Yamamoto, according to team reporter Bryan Hock.

“One thing Yoshinobu Yamamoto asked about was the Yankees’ rivalries, according to Aaron Boone, who said he talked about what Yankee Stadium feels like in the playoffs and for games against the Red Sox and Astros. ‘That seemed to light him up a little bit.’”

Of course, the Yankees aren’t the only team in the running to sign Yamamoto. The Los Angeles Dodgers are still hanging around in the rumor mill along with the San Francisco Giants. But if Yamamoto is asking about New York’s rivalries, then perhaps he’s genuinely interested to play in the Big Apple.

The Yankees are arguably the most historic sports franchise in America. So, it makes sense why Yoshinobu Yamamoto is interested to discuss the team’s rivalries. It’s a good sign for New York as well. If Yamamoto is wanting to have these discussions, then they could be the favorite on his list.

We’ll see how it plays out though. Hopefully, the star pitcher signs soon so we just know which team he plays for. But for now, Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains a free agent.