Kenta Maeda To Start Grapefruit League Opener On Saturday
The Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold reports that Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda will start the team's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Maeda hit 92 mph during his live batting practice session on Tuesday in camp, which is significantly higher than where he was at a year ago. The Tigers would likely to get as many looks at the 36-year-old veteran in spring training before deciding what his role will be to start the 2025 season. It's unclear if he'll be a starter or reliever on Opening Day, but the injury to Alex Cobb (hip) certainly increases Maeda's chances of sticking in a starting role, at least early on. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues will be avoiding the Japanese hurler, even if he wins a rotation spot, after an ugly 6.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with only 96 K's in 112 1/3 innings in 2024. His 7.69 K/9 mark was the worst of his career.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda could have a path to opening the season in the starting rotation with Alex Cobb (hip) set to miss a month of action. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic noted that the team could give the veteran right-hander a look in spring training with the open spot in the rotation. Last season, Maeda appeared in 29 games but only started 17 of them. Across 112 1/3 total frames, the 36-year-old posted a disappointing 6.09 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. However, the right-hander worked on his mechanics during the offseason in hopes of returning to form. During the 2023 campaign, Maeda held a 4.23 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP across a similar 104 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress during spring training as he will likely compete alongside Casey Mize and top prospect Jackson Jobe for a starting role. If he does earn the job, he could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats.
With Detroit Tigers pitchers Casey Mize, Keider Montero and Brant Hurter each having cases to begin the year in the starting rotation in 2025, it has made veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda's role less clear. The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen writes that the Tigers have talked about revamping Maeda's offseason plan to help him recapture what has made him successful after he had an ugly 6.09 ERA in 2024. Despite the fact that Maeda was better as a reliever (4.44 ERA) in 2024, the Tigers could take one more shot with him as a starter since they will be paying him $10 million. Another option for Detroit would be using the 36-year-old Japanese hurler as a swing man. That or Maeda being used strictly out of the bullpen is looking much more likely now after the Tigers reunited with right-hander Jack Flaherty on Sunday. Maeda had a career-worst 7.69 K/9 last year and should be avoided in most fantasy drafts this spring.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda had one of his best outings of the year on Thursday, going 5 innings of shutout ball against the Seattle Mariners. Maeda came in after opener Alex Faedo allowed a run in the first inning, but the veteran shut down the M's into the seventh, keeping his team in the game and eventually giving them a chance to grab a 2-1 win. Maeda looked very sharp in this one, allowing just one hit and one walk while punching out five. Although he's had some decent appearances recently, Maeda is tough to trust on a start-to-start basis because he often has an opener used in front of him and doesn't pitch deep into games. He will have to show more outings like this one to even be streamer-worthy in fantasy.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda has been moved to the bullpen. The Tigers will go with a bullpen day for Sunday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in what would have been Maeda's next turn through the rotation, and Maeda will stay in the bullpen after next week's All-Star break. The final straw for the 36-year-old veteran was when he gave up six earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings in Tuesday's loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The soft-tossing Japanese hurler just hasn't been effective for Detroit in 2024, going 2-5 with a 7.26 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with only 50 strikeouts and 23 walks over 65 2/3 innings and 16 starts. Maeda will now most likely serve in a long-relief role for the foreseeable future, and it's unclear who might take his rotation spot to kick off the second half of the season.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda got crushed against his former team, the Minnesota Twins, on Thursday. Maeda only lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits, nine runs, three walks and struck out three during his outing. The veteran came over from the Twins on a two-year contract but has struggled mightily in his short time with the Tigers. On the season, Maeda is 2-5 with a 6.71 ERA in 15 starts and he hasn't shown any signs of improving as the season has gone on. Maeda should remain on the waiver wire for the foreseeable future with another tough matchup versus the Cleveland Guardians coming next Wednesday.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda (hip) took a liner off his hip area and left Friday's start against the hosting Los Angeles Angels with one out in the sixth inning. Maeda was at 87 pitches before being removed for right-hander Will Vest, giving up two runs with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in Friday's outing against the Angels in Anaheim. It's not clear at the moment exactly what the issue is for Maeda, but his next start tentatively lines up for Thursday on the road against his former Minnesota Twins team. The 36-year-old veteran right-hander is best suited for streaming purposes in fantasy at this stage of his career, carrying a weak 5.76 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 45:19 K:BB over 59 1/3 frames for the Tigers this year. Maeda should be deemed day-to-day until he's further evaluated and more information becomes available, but he could just be dealing with a bruise.
The Detroit Tigers announced on Friday that they have reinstated right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Matt Manning to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move after Thursday night's game. Maeda is recovered from his illness and will toe the rubber against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Even against a Toronto lineup that has mostly struggled to put up runs this year, the 36-year-old Japanese starter isn't a recommended fantasy streamer in his first start off the IL and probably isn't very likely to go deep in this ballgame. In his first seven starts in 2024, Maeda has been pretty hittable and has posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. There just isn't any fantasy upside left with Maeda, especially while pitching for Detroit.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) threw a bullpen session at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday and is lined up to start on Saturday or Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Maeda is attempting to return to the Tigers' starting rotation after landing on the injured list with a viral illness in mid-May. The 36-year-old veteran pitched in a minor-league rehab game last week and appears to be feeling good enough to rejoin the team this weekend. The matchup against Toronto isn't a bad one, but fantasy managers should still be very hesitant to throw Maeda back into the fire as a streamer this weekend. In seven starts before going on the shelf, the Japanese hurler went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with only 23 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings pitched.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. It's good to see that Maeda is feeling better after he was placed on the 15-day injured list last Saturday due to a viral illness. The 36-year-old veteran might need to throw a few bullpen sessions before he's cleared for a short minor-league rehab assignment. Fantasy baseball managers in mixed leagues can probably leave Maeda to the waiver wire, as he started the year 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA (6.53 FIP) and 1.40 WHIP with 10 walks and 23 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings over seven starts. Maeda typically doesn't overpower hitters but relies on pinpoint control. He has a career 26.4% strikeout rate and has little fantasy upside at this stage of his career.
Kenta Maeda
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Tigers
