Report: Shota Imanaga highly likely to sign with 1 team

Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (21) delivers a pitch during the first inning against USA at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga is almost certain to sign with an MLB team by the end of the week, and one has reportedly emerged as a heavy favorite to land him.

All signs point to Imanaga signing with the San Francisco Giants, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. A source told Feinsand that the Giants are determined not to miss out again after failing to land both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the rival Dodgers.

The process will be hurried along by the nature of the posting system. Imanaga’s posting period expires on Thursday, meaning he must sign with an MLB team by then if he wants to play in the United States in 2024. There is little doubt that Imanaga will pick a team by then.

Imanaga, a 30-year-old southpaw, has gone 64-50 with a 3.18 ERA during his Nippon Professional Baseball career. While he is regarded as being a step below peers like Yamamoto, he will still be fairly expensive based on his track record.