MLB Rumors: Grading the fit for every Shota Imanaga finalist

2) Shota Imanaga signs with the Angels: C

Who really knows what the Los Angeles Angels are doing at this point? They're a team that hasn't had a winning season since 2015 and just lost Shohei Ohtani, yet they still won't enter a rebuild. Mike Trout isn't going anywhere, and neither are their talented players on expiring contracts like Brandon Drury and Carlos Estevez.

They've been linked to star free agents like Snell, Montgomery, and even Cody Bellinger, but Imanaga is a tier below. If the Angels want to compete in 2024, they're going to need to do better than have Imanaga as their headliner.

The Angels are another team in desperate need of an ace. They have young pitchers like Patrick Sandoval and Reid Detmers who have upside, but they lack the established frontline guy. Snell and Montgomery fit that mold, Imanaga does not.

Additionally, while Yamamoto was 25 years old, Imanaga is 30. He'd be joining a fairly young team not ready to win right now and be their second-oldest starter in the rotation. That'd be fine if he was supremely talented, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Signing Imanaga doesn't make the Angels much better, and doesn't help them in the future either. It's just hard to see the fit making much sense.