KENTA MAEDA NEWS

Might be favorite for fifth spot Maeda's $10 million contract "likely gives him an edge" to open the season as the Tigers' fifth starter, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Impact Maeda had a disastrous first season in Detroit, finishing with a 6.09 ERA across 17 starts and 12 relief appearances. He has looked sharp this spring, showing an uptick in velocity while allowing three runs with a 9:1 K:BB over five innings. Casey Mize and Keider Montero look to be Maeda's chief competitors for the No. 5 spot, while Jackson Jobe remains the heavy favorite to be the fourth starter. Whoever wins the fifth spot in the rotation would, theoretically, be holding it down only until Alex Cobb (hip) is ready, although there's no timetable for Cobb's return.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Effective in spring debut Maeda tossed two scoreless innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He didn't allow a hit or a walk and struck out four.

Impact Making his first spring training appearance, Maeda looked comfortable in a starting role, as he breezed through the first two innings of the game. The veteran righty has displayed increased velocity in camp and that translated into four strikeouts among the six batters he retired. Maeda struggled mightily in 2024, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA across 112.1 regular-season innings, but a bounceback campaign is possible in 2025. With Alex Cobb (hip) unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, Maeda may have a path to some starts in the early going.

FEBRUARY 23 • ROTOWIRE

Hard work pays off with extra velo as Maeda aces spring debut LAKELAND, Fla. -- The first pitch from Kenta Maeda on Saturday came in at 92.7 mph, according to Statcast. He reached back an inning later f...

FEBRUARY 22 • MLB.COM

Throwing harder this spring Maeda was throwing 92 mph during a live batting practice session Tuesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Impact It's up from the 90.8 mph he averaged with his four-seamer last season and significantly more velocity than he was showing during spring training last year. With Alex Cobb (hip) slated to begin the season on the injured list, Maeda has a chance to make the Tigers' rotation out of spring training. That said, after collecting a 6.09 ERA over 17 starts and 12 relief appearances last season, Maeda has a lot to prove this spring. He will start Detroit's Grapefruit League opener Saturday.

FEBRUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Could be rotation fill-in With Alex Cobb (hip) likely out for about a month, Maeda could be at least a temporary option to slide into the starting rotation, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Impact Cobb's injury figures to prevent him from being able to ramp up properly for Opening Day, so the Tigers will have to fill his rotation spot for at least a turn or two. Detroit has Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and Jack Flaherty locked in as starters, and the team could turn to the likes of Maeda, Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize to round things out. Maeda is a veteran option with plenty of MLB starts under his belt, so he could probably make the transition fairly quickly after pitching in relief to wrap up last season. The righty struggled in 2024, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA, which prompted the move out of the rotation. If Maeda starts early in 2025, fantasy managers may want to take a wait-and-see approach given his rough performance a year ago.

FEBRUARY 17 • ROTOWIRE

Role looks unclear for 2025 Maeda may get another shot at a rotation spot this year, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, though Detroit's addition of Jack Flaherty could push the former into the bullpen.

Impact Maeda was brought over to Detroit before last season to start games, but he struggled mightily in his first year with the team, posting an ugly 6.09 ERA across 29 appearances (17 starts). The veteran righty did fare a bit better as a reliever, posting a 4.44 ERA out of the bullpen. Maeda stood to potentially get another chance at starting in 2025, though with Jack Flaherty joining the team Sunday, the rotation suddenly looks a bit more crowded. Flaherty, Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson should all be locked into rotation spots, and veteran newcomer Alex Cobb will likely start as well. That leaves Maeda and possibly Casey Mize to battle for the No. 5 spot, with the loser of that competition likely taking on a long-relief role.

FEBRUARY 4 • ROTOWIRE

Suffers loss in spot start Maeda (3-7) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs on five hits and one walk over 4.2 innings against the White Sox. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda, who also hit a batter, struggled in his first start since early July, allowing five runs including a three-run homer by Lenyn Sosa. Maeda finished the regular season with 17 starts among 29 appearances, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, though he compiled a 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 through 42 innings out of the pen. As the Tigers prepare for a Wild Card matchup with the Astros, Maeda will revert back into a bullpen role.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers' pitching staff comes into focus ahead of Wild Card Series with Astros DETROIT -- The Tigers arrived at Comerica Park on Sunday morning with bags at their lockers and the team plane waiting at Metro Airport but...

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 • MLB.COM

Starting Sunday vs. White Sox Maeda is starting Sunday against the White Sox.

Impact This will be Maeda's first start since July 9. He has been much better out of the bullpen (3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) than in the rotation (7.26 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) this season, but the Tigers will look to him to eat some innings on the final day of the regular season.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles in relief Saturday Maeda allowed three runs on two hits and a walk across two innings of relief in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles. He struck out two.

Impact Maeda was not charged with the loss, as Detroit already trailed 1-0 when he entered the game, but he didn't help his team's cause, either. The veteran righty has struggled all season, and his ERA now sits at an unsightly 6.07 after Saturday's poor performance. Maeda did come into the contest having logged 3.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but before that, he gave up eight runs (six earned) in his previous 9.1 innings. He's been much too volatile to trust in fantasy, and it remains to be seen what his role will be in 2025.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Pitches in middle relief Thursday Maeda struck out one over 1.2 perfect innings out of the bullpen in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

Impact Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a rotation spot over the past two months while frequently operating as a bulk reliever behind opener. However, Maeda was deployed in middle relief Thursday, with starter Casey Mize working five-plus innings before the former entered the game with one out and a runner on first base in the bottom the sixth inning. With Mize back in action following a recent stint on the 60-day injured list and with Brant Hurter and Ty Madden looking to have secured back-end spots in the Detroit rotation, Maeda appears poised to be used as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen moving forward.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Earns third win Wednesday Maeda (3-6) allowed two unearned runs on four hits across 4.1 innings of relief to earn the win in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Angels. He walked two and struck out five.

Impact Maeda followed opener Mason Englert, who worked the first two innings of the game. Maeda mostly pitched well, with his only major blemish a home run by Mickey Moniak in the sixth inning following a Trey Sweeney error. The veteran righty allowed six earned runs over five innings in his last appearance, and he has an ugly 6.14 ERA overall this season, so Wednesday's effort was a pleasant surprise. It will take more sustained success for fantasy managers to trust Maeda, however, and he remains a risky option despite the step in the right direction.

AUGUST 29, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter lead the Tigers to 6th straight win, 3-2 over Angels

Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Kerry Carpenter added an RBI single in the third as the Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to six games...

AUGUST 29, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Could work in bulk relief Wednesday Maeda is expected to be used as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Mason Englert in Wednesday's game against the Angels, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Impact Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a spot in the rotation since the All-Star break while working as a bulk reliever. He's turned in a 4.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 26:2 K:BB over 29.2 innings across his seven relief appearances, with his ERA inflated by a rough showing this past Thursday against the Cubs in which he coughed up six runs across five frames. After Wednesday's appearance, Maeda could move into more a flexible multi-inning role out of the bullpen with the Tigers having recently added Triple-A Toledo call-up Ty Madden to the rotation. Additionally, Casey Mize (hamstring) appears poised to return from the 60-day injured list this weekend to give the Tigers another rotation option.

AUGUST 28, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Rocked by Cubs Maeda (2-6) took the loss Thursday against the Cubs, allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda was hit early and often while serving in bulk relief Thursday, allowing a grand slam to Miguel Amaya in the second frame and surrendering a pair of doubles later in the outing. Since the start of July, Maeda has stumbled to a 7.60 ERA with a 31:8 K:BB across 36 innings. Though he may follow an opener again, Maeda is tentatively scheduled to pitch against the Angels early next week.

AUGUST 23, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Miguel Amaya hits his first career grand slam and drives in 5 as the Cubs pound the Tigers 10-2

Miguel Amaya hit his first career grand slam and drove in a personal-best five runs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Detroit Tigers 10-2

AUGUST 22, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Allows one hit in bulk role Maeda didn't factor into the decision Thursday against Seattle, allowing just one hit and one walk over 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda's certainly shown improvement since he started working in bulk relief -- he's posted a 2.84 ERA across 19 innings in his last four appearances. Overall, the veteran right-hander is 2-5 with a 6.18 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 71:25 K:BB across 90.1 innings this year. Maeada's currently slated to start next week on the road versus the Cubs, though he could work behind an opener again due to his recent success.

AUGUST 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Decent showing as bulk reliever Maeda allowed two runs on four hits and struck out two without walking a batter over 4.2 innings of relief versus the Giants on Friday. He did not factor in the decision.

Impact Maeda continues to stretch out in anticipation of a return to the rotation -- he threw 72 pitches (46 strikes) Friday, up from 69 pitches in his previous outing. The veteran right-hander had a decent performance but couldn't sustain a 2-0 lead, allowing a run to score on a sacrifice fly in both the seventh and eighth innings. Maeda is now at a 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 66:24 K:BB over 84.2 innings across 21 appearances (16 starts). He's projected to make his next appearance at home versus the Mariners, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him follow an opener at least one more time.

AUGUST 10, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Conforto scores on Canha's sacrifice fly in 9th and Giants edge Tigers 3-2

Michael Conforto scored on Mark Canha’s sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers after being no-hit thr...

AUGUST 10, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Working way back into rotation Maeda covered 3.2 innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Royals in 11 innings. He gave up three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four.

Impact Maeda has now made each of his last four appearances out of the bullpen, submitting a 4.40 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 14:1 K:BB in 14.1 innings during that stretch. The Tigers shifted the veteran right-hander to a relief role after he struggled to a 7.26 ERA through 15 starts, but manager A.J. Hinch suggested Friday that Maeda will eventually rejoin the rotation, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Maeda is essentially stretched out for a starter's workload at this point; he tossed 69 pitches behind opening pitcher Tyler Holton in Saturday's contest.

AUGUST 5, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Serves in bulk role Sunday Maeda allowed one run on five hits across five innings of relief in Sunday's 5-0 loss to the Twins. He struck out four.

Impact It was a bullpen game for Detroit with Alex Faedo starting, so the team turned to Maeda for some length in relief. The veteran delivered a strong performance, which was much needed after allowing 18 runs over 12 innings in his last four appearances. Maeda is still sitting with a rough 6.72 ERA overall, and he has virtually no fantasy value if he's not starting games for the Tigers. Maeda could reenter the rotation if one or both of Jack Flaherty and Tarik Skubal get traded before Tuesday's deadline. Maeda will be tough to trust if that happens, however, considering his struggles as a starter earlier this season.

JULY 28, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles continue in relief role Maeda allowed three runs on three hits across two innings of relief in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Blue Jays. He struck out one.

Impact Maeda was effective in his first relief appearance of the year when he tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in the final game before the All-Star break. However, his second appearance did not go as well, with a Vladimir Guerrero two-run home run accounting for a big chunk of the damage. Madea has struggled throughout his first season with the Tigers, as he's now sitting with a career-worst 7.07 ERA across 71.1 innings. It seems unlikely that the veteran will rejoin the rotation anytime soon, and his fantasy value remains low given his current role and ineffectiveness. However, Reese Olson (shoulder) did leave Saturday's start early, which could open up a spot at least in the short term if he's forced to miss any time.

JULY 21, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Delivers scoreless appearance Maeda came out of the bullpen and threw 3.2 shutout frames during Detroit's walk-off win over the Dodgers. He allowed one hit and struck out five batters.

Impact For the first time this season, Maeda worked a bulk-relief role and the results looked great. He threw 34 of 55 pitches for strikes and generated 11 whiffs. He was crushed for 15 runs in just 6.1 innings over his previous two outings. Maeda will enter the second half without a clear role in Detroit. He's registered an unsightly 6.88 ERA and 55:23 K:BB through 69.1 frames.

JULY 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Likely to work in bulk relief Maeda is expected to serve as a bulk reliever behind starter Beau Brieske in Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Impact After Maeda delivered a 7.26 ERA and 1.58 WHiP through his first 16 starts of the season, manager A.J. Hinch announced Thursday that the veteran right-hander will work out of the bullpen "for the foreseeable future." Before being moved to the bullpen Maeda had been lined up to start Sunday's series finale, but the Tigers haven't yet added a formal replacement in the rotation for the 36-year-old. Triple- A Toledo pitcher Matt Manning could eventually step in as the Tigers' new No. 5 starter after the All-Star break, but Detroit will first rely on its bullpen to get through the final game of the first half. Brieske hasn't covered more than three innings in any of his 31 outings between the majors and Triple-A this season, so he'll likely be on a short leash before turning the ball over to Maeda at some point. Maeda hasn't been used since his last start Tuesday versus the Guardians, so he's the freshest arm in the Detroit bullpen.

JULY 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers sending unperforming RHP Kenta Maeda to bullpen The Detroit Tigers are moving struggling starter Kenta Maeda to the bullpen.Manager A.J.Hinch told reporters Thursday that there is no timel...

JULY 11, 2024 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM