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.
Detroit Tigers veteran Kenta Maeda (illness) has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 8, with a viral infection, In a corresponding move, the Tigers recalled outfielder Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo. The veteran Maeda is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in seven starts covering 30 innings. He pitched on May 7 against the Cleveland Guardians with poor results, going only two innings and surrendering seven earned runs on five hits and three walks. Baddoo likely will be a reserve outfielder during his stay on the roster. It appears that the Tigers will recall right-hander Matt Manning to take Maeda's upcoming Monday start against the Miami Marlins.
Right-hander Kenta Maeda is set for his fifth start of the MLB season as the Detroit Tigers are on the road to play the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Maeda is coming off a terrible start against the Texas Rangers, as he went 2 2/3 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits, including three home runs. Maeda is 0-1 with a 7.64 ERA and faces a Rays lineup is slashing .242/.304/.356. Fantasy managers would be wise to avoid Maeda in this one as a streamer.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda allowed two runs, four hits, and two walks over three innings of work against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. He also struck out one batter. After surrendering zero earned runs in his 2024 Spring Training debut last week, Maeda was roughed up this time around. With that said, we can't put too much stock into one fluky spring outing. Maeda had an impressive 3.77 xERA, 10.09 K/9, and 2.42 BB/9 last year, and he figures to operate as the Tigers' No. 3 starter throughout his first campaign in Detroit. He's an intriguing value option in fantasy baseball leagues.
Free-agent pitcher Kenta Maeda and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a two-year, $24 million contract. The right-hander will remain in the American League Central after spending the past four seasons with the Minnesota Twins, one of which was eliminated due to Tommy John surgery. Maeda returned from the UCL procedure to work to a 4.23 ERA across 21 outings (20 starts), but underlying numbers suggest he was better than his surface ERA may indicate. Maeda also posted a 3.76 SIERA and a 20.8% K-BB%, which is the second-best mark of his career and his top figure aside from his 28.2% mark posted in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He will provide a veteran presence for a youthful Tigers rotation in the 2024 campaign.
