The Phillies’ pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto revealed their challenges in breaking through in Japan

PHILADELPHIA — For a half-decade, since Bryce Harper hugged it out with the Phanatic atop the first-base dugout in Clearwater, Fla., the Phillies have been baseball’s most desirable destination for free agents. Ask anybody, but mostly Zack Wheeler, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. Definitely ask Trea Turner, who turned down more money from the Padres — and said “no thanks” to living in San Diego — to sign for 11 years (without an opt-out clause) in Philadelphia. But when it comes to players from Japan, the Phillies’ sales pitch gets lost in translation. Since 1995, 67 player…

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