MLB Rumors: 5 teams that could strike gold with Shota Imanaga

The two Japanese players most MLB fans are talking about this offseason are Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani has established himself as the best player on planet Earth and as one of, if not the best player we've ever seen. Yamamoto will be making the move from Japan to MLB hoping to prove himself. He will do so with the cushion of a deal that will pay him around or maybe even over $200 million.

While Yamamoto is the big Japanese pitching prize, fellow Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga has been getting plenty of hype himself, and for good reason. The southpaw might not have the stuff Yamamoto has and is also five years older, but he has a 2.96 career ERA in eight seasons in the NPB, and would fit in the middle of virtually any MLB rotation. He doesn't have Yamamoto's upside, but Imanaga should be a very solid MLB arm. He showed his potential in the WBC.

MLB Trade Rumors projects he'll earn a five-year deal worth around $85 million. This is rich enough to make him an important part of any rotation, but not at the level where small market teams that need pitching will immediately pass.

Imanaga would be a fit for a lot of teams, these five make the most sense.

5. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees will be one of several big market teams making a large attempt at landing Yamamoto in free agency. They've been linked to him all year long and will look to do something big after a disappointing 82-80 season. Let's say they don't get Yamamoto. Imanaga would still make them a whole lot better.

The rotation looked like it'd be a massive strength for New York entering the 2023 season, but outside of Gerrit Cole, it wound up being a disappointment thanks to injuries and underperformance. Cole will be the ace of the staff, but there are questions behind him that need to be answered.

Will Carlos Rodon bounce back? He spent most of the year sidelined with injury and struggled mightily when he was healthy. Can Nestor Cortes stay healthy? How will Michael King respond in a full season in the starting rotation? Is Clarke Schmidt reliable enough to be a starter in a rotation for a team trying to win a World Series?

Imanaga would slot somewhere in the middle of this rotation and provide stability to a group that needs it. Signing him instead of Yamamoto would allow New York to spend that money on other areas of need to help improve what in reality is an extremely flawed roster. Yamamoto should be their top target, but Imanaga wouldn't be a bad consolation prize whatsoever.