Kenta Maeda was the Tigers’ biggest signing of the 2023-24 offseason, but his tenure in Detroit got off to a disappointing start. Kicking off the first season of a two-year, $24MM deal, he gave up three long balls and six runs over 3 1/3 innings in his Tigers debut. It was more of the same across his first 16 starts: 65 2/3 innings, 15 home runs, and a 7.26 ERA. Detroit went 5-11 in those contests. While his 4.88 SIERA suggested he was due for some positive regression, it still put him among the bottom 10 pitchers (min. 60 IP) in the American League.
Thus, just before the All-Star break, the Tigers decided to move Maeda to the bullpen indefinitely – although not necessarily permanently. Indeed, he still took on a starter’s workload in several of his bullpen appearances, throwing at least 80 pitches out of the ’pen on four separate occasions. He also started the final game of the regular season after the Tigers had already clinched a Wild Card berth. Now, he’s back in the conversation for a role in the starting rotation in 2025.
President of baseball operations Scott Harris spoke to members of the media (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) at the GM Meetings in San Antonio, where he made it clear that Maeda “will have every opportunity to earn a job” in the Tigers rotation this spring. The POBO acknowledged that Maeda’s pure stuff and pitchability were lacking early in the year but noted that the veteran looked much stronger in the summer months. “I thought he pitched pretty well down the stretch for us,” Harris explained.
Indeed, Maeda put up much better numbers out of the bullpen, pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 3.23 SIERA over 42 innings in July, August, and September. However, he struggled once again upon his return to the rotation for game 162, giving up five runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.
That final outing notwithstanding, it isn’t surprising the Tigers are giving Maeda another chance to earn a starting role. With a $10MM salary for 2025, he’s currently the highest-paid pitcher on the team. He also has a long track record of success as a starter, with a career 4.23 ERA and 3.91 FIP in 171 big league starts. What’s more, he was downright dominant in his last fully healthy season, putting up a 2.70 ERA and 2.92 SIERA in 2020 en route to a second-place finish for the AL Cy Young.
Admittedly, that was several years ago and a shortened season, but the point remains that Maeda has been a highly successful starting pitcher in the not-too-distant past. Finally, the Tigers don’t have any locks for the 2025 rotation beyond ace Tarik Skubal and promising young righty Reese Olson. Even if they make a couple of additions, there will be a battle for at least one spot in the rotation this spring.
Harris re-emphasized that the team “could have done a better job” preparing Maeda last winter as he transitioned from the Twins to the Tigers. To that point, the Tigers have designed a new program for the right-hander this offseason. As part of that program, Petzold suggests Maeda will be throwing more regularly throughout the coming months; last year, he only threw one bullpen session back home in Japan before returning stateside for spring training.
It’s far from a guarantee that Maeda will re-claim his job in the rotation. Even if he does, it’s no sure thing he’ll stay there all year long. He’s going to turn 37 next April, an age at which it would be fair to worry about his performance even if he weren’t an injury-prone pitcher coming off a career-worst season. And now that the Tigers have officially entered their window of contention, they can’t afford to give him as long of a leash as they might have in years past. If Maeda is going to be a key contributor for the Tigers next season, he’s going to have to earn it by looking more like his younger self and less like the starter he was in 2024.
Or sign a reliable starter and leave him in the bullpen and let the young players fight for the rotation spots
Maeda honor
I’m certain that’s the plan, but he’s under contract either way. The more competition, the better. And most teams go through at least 10-12 starting pitchers throughout the season anyway.
Considering they paid Flaherty 14MM, I think Maeda was their 2nd biggest signing. Maeda seemed safer so he got Two years for less per.
I’ve Maeda up my mind, I Ain’t wastin’ no more time, I’m gonna be a starting pitcher agaaaainnnn, here I go againnnn
Just because he’s paid handsomely doesn’t mean he has to be used
Maybe try to trade him to a team like the white sox
Might as well give him a chance to see if you can get some production for the 10M. No other team is going to want to trade for him without prospects attached or in a swap for an equally bad contract
Exactly
Have you tried the Angels? The dumb GM may take anything on name value only.
Face palm!
The White Sox are not trading for a 37 year old pitcher with a $10 million contract.
Tigers should just re-sign Flaherty
They signed Flaherty. I would say that was pretty wise. Some of this stuff is nothing more than random luck.
Did you forget about Jack Flaherty?
Did you ignore what I said? Because I sure said it first……
Good job fred-3 changing your original comment that the Tigers should have made smart pitching signings last winter like the Royals. When you’re wrong, just edit your comment so you’re now right.
That’s lame but you ignored my comment and said the same thing I said. Less lame but still.
But yeah Fred that’s dirty pool. Not even sure how you edited the comment that late i didn’t think you could do that.
I changed it within a min or 2, before you guys posted. I forgot about Flaherty for some reason.
You obviously didn’t watch the world series.
Why did you a pick a thumbnail where he looks like he is about to ugly cry?
That’s how he looked last season
Of course they are. He is under contract for next year. Little harm in having him come to spring training and see if he has regained his form. Harris also admitted in his post season presser that the Tigers did not adequately prepare him for last season.
Fans always give up on a player far sooner than the team.
If they can trade him this offseason that would be great (unless they are trying to use him to lure Sasaki in which I doubt). If not give him a chance to earn a spot like Manning and other #5 options and stick him in the bullpen or cut him if he can’t stick there. There are lots of young guys who could start over him in the system (Montero, Jobe, Hurter, Madden).
Trade him? LMFAO!
I will take him…
For Jeff McNeil.
I’m sure they will even throw in one slightly used Javier Baez!
Gently used, unlike Trevor Bauer’s girlfriends
Tigers did not adequately prepare him, is new generation speak for the player was not prepared. Maeda was terrible, but it makes financial sense to see if they can get any value back for the $10 million still owed. Skubal, Olson, Monteiro, and Jobe will be in the rotation, really need to sign a good veteran starter.
He threw one offseason bullpen session in Japan before spring training last year?!? If Maeken wants a rotation spot, maybe he should throw at least two this time around…
Perhaps that was part of the plan to simply allow an aging pitcher to fully rest his arm. The effort to throw a bullpen isn’t high. Obviously that didn’t work out so it’s all trial-and-error.
With the sun finally shinning bright in America again, this Harris has done a great job in Detroit. The Tigers are looking good, and they are fun to watch as well. The proper handling of Maeda is paramount if you want to get more players to come here.
Of course they will. They don’t want to have to swallow that terrible contract!
$10 mil is a lot for a middle reliever/mop-up guy so of course they will give him another opportunity
Nuts, I was hoping they were going to try and win. Oh well.
He’ll get the ziggy (a Dick Vitale thing) by Memorial Day if he doesn’t start producing.
Guy’s cooked.
B/W Kenta to give every hitter opportunity to go long with dinger dinger chicken dinner
“Domo arigato, Mister Maeda, domo. Domo” – Best regards, your pals, The Batters of the American League.
Tigers ready to sign Bregman?
……let’s hope not. Hopefully, that’s just another writer, talking out his rear end. He wants $30M? They are out of their frigging minds…..
No!
They should have hired the Superfife!
I was hoping that they would release Maeda!
I remember when he was Dodger starter always seemed to fade 3rd time through order. That’s when they made em mini-closure who’d come in n put out fire in 5th, 6th, whenever n he can give u multiple inns. I remember his stuff was better outa pen, lil more giddyup on his fastball.