Pitcher Kenta Maeda, a free agent, has signed with the Detroit Tigers, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post first
revealed on Sunday night. Later, the original information was validated by Jeff Passan of ESPN and others.
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Maeda’s new two-year contract will pay him $24 million, according to Passan. According to Detroit Free Press
reporter Evan Petzold, the arrangement has been reached, but a physical inspection is still needed, and that is set for
this coming Monday.
The Minnesota Twins and the Tigers were reportedly interested in Maeda, according to reports that originally
appeared last week.
Following four seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Maeda has spent the last four seasons with the
Twins. The 35-year-old has now been gone for eight years.
Maeda is 65-49 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.140 WHIP, 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings, and an 8.6 WAR since joining the
MLB. In the race for NL Rookie of the Year in 2016, he came in third. In 2020, during his rookie season with
Minnesota, he finished second in the AL Cy Young voting.Maeda missed the entire 2022 season due to Tommy John
surgery, but he returned this summer with a strong performance.
Maeda finished 2023 with a 4.23 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings, and 1.1 WAR after going 6-8 in
20 starts. After spending over two months in May and June on the disabled list, the right-hander returned to the
field with a 3.36 ERA and 1.087 WHIP.
The Tigers at this moment
Then earlier this fall, All-Star lefty Eduardo Rodriguez chose to not renew his contract.
While young pitchers Sawyer Gipson-Long, Matt Manning, Reese Olson, and Tarik Skubal all showed potential in
2023, Maeda gives the pitching staff some much-needed experience at the top for 2024.
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