We asked AI to predict which team will end up signing Shota Imanaga (& its reply is surely going to turn some heads)

Shota Imanaga is one of the more intriguing pitchers on the open market. The Yokohama BayStars posted him in November and has gained interest from multiple teams.

With Yoshinobu Yamamoto off the board, the Imanaga sweepstakes should start to heat up. With his 45-day signing period winding down, here's a look at what could be the best fit for the Japanese lefty:

AI sees the Boston Red Sox singing Shota Imanaga

AI Google Bard

AI points to the Boston Red Sox, which could turn some heads. They had just traded away Chris Sale and signed Lucas Giolito to a two-year, $38.5 million deal, but could be looking for more.

Signing Imanaga would boost the team's rotation. He would be a great middle-of-the-road starter for the team that could eat up a ton of innings. He is coming off a season where he threw 159 innings.

Another reason AI believes Boston is the frontrunner to sign Imanaga is because they have the money to do so. They were one of the teams after Yamamoto before he signed his deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Especially with the departure of Chris Sale, the Red Sox have the money to offer Shota Imanaga a competitive contract.

Boston also has a long history of finding success with international players. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima are proof of just that. Both were dominant during their time in the big leagues.

One last reason AI believes Boston will sign Imanaga is their franchise history. There have been plenty of all-time greats who have played at Fenway, and the fanbase is strong.

There are only a few teams in the league that can rival what the Red Sox have done in this league. They are always a threat to be a contender for the World Series title, and that could sway Imanaga into signing.

While small in size, Shota Imanaga does not pitch like it. He led the NPB in K rate and was the strikeout leader in the Central League. He is a master at making at-bats difficult for opposing hitters.

He throws a fastball that he uses most of the time. The fastball is accompanied by a slider, sweeper, splitter, cutter, curveball, and changeup. That is quite a lot of pitches for hitters to try and guess.

Signing Imanaga would instantly boost Boston's rotation, and would be a great addition for the team heading into the 2024 season.