"They missed out on Ohtani and Yamamoto ... they don’t want to miss out again" - Giants tipped by MLB insider as favorites to sign Shota Imanaga

Shota Imanaga is the biggest pitching star never to play in MLB. However, as legions of his most talented countrymen make the switch to North America, the 30-year-old may not be far behind.

A member of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars since 2016, Imanaga's 174 strikeouts led all of NPB last season. A holder of a 3.18 ERA, Imanaga was posted by the BayStars on Nov. 28, clearing the way for an entry into MLB.

Although his destination is not yet clear, one MLB analyst has an idea. In a recent piece for MLB.com, Mark Feinsand made a convincing case regarding the team who will be Shota Imanaga's first outside of his homeland.

"Imanaga signing coming soon, and 'it's all pointing' to this team" - Mark Feinsand

In his piece, Feinsand referenced the San Francisco Giants as the team best suited to sign Imanaga. Feinsand pointed to the Giants' big offseason pushes, especially for pitching, which has been made an area of priority following news that both Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray until mid-summer.

Moreover, Feinsand argued that the appetite for a big signing in San Francisco is strong after the team narrowly missed out on top-level Japanese free agents Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in their recent free agency sweepstakes. The team did, however, ink South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a $113 million deal over six seasons.

"Shota Imanaga fired up after setting a new career-high with 15 Ks against the Giants (7/7/23). He led NPB in K% in 2023 at 29%. It was the best mark of his career. Would’ve tied for 5th-best in MLB with Pablo Lopez and Kodai Senga in 2023" - Tyler Miliken

For Giants fans, 2023 was a season of despair. The team went on a 9-18 run in September, coughing up the final NL playoff berth to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a divisional foe. On account of the poor showing, the team fired their manager Gabe Kepler. Kepler has since been replaced with veteran skipper Bob Melvin.

Shota Imanaga may be a future MLB icon

Although the fanfare around Japanese MLB debutants is at an all-time high, Shota Imanaga can stand on his own merit. Whether the Giants are eclipsed by other rich teams like the New York Yankees or not, Imanaga will be in the MLB very soon. Judging by his success in Japan, that means bad news for hitters everywhere.