Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda, 37, faces a complex turn in life. His team, the Detroit Tigers, announced on the 2nd that he will be removed from the 40-man roster. This is essentially a release.

Additionally, there are personal matters. His wife posted unusual content on social media. It included the message.

"My journey with you was very exciting. At the same time, there were days when it wasn't. I cried a lot. But I was able to learn and grow from the tough experiences. This experience had a significant impact on me. And I will never forget it."

It seems to hint at a certain resolve.

"At a turning point in my 10 years in America, I decided to return to Japan with my children. I am truly grateful for the wonderful friends I was able to meet in America and for being able to raise my kids in a good environment."

Maeda's wife's maiden name is Saho Narushima. She is two years older at 39. They had their wedding in 2012 when she was a Tokai TV announcer. The following year, in 2013, they welcomed their first daughter, and five years later, their son was born.

She is known for actively communicating with the public through social media. She often shared moments with her husband and family.

The problematic comment was uploaded on March 31. Normally, she communicated in Japanese, but that day she expressed her feelings in English. Since then, her account activity has been inactive for over a month.

She is known for her proactive support of her husband. She even obtained certifications as a vegetable sommelier and food meister to manage his diet.

It is widely known that she cooks bread or pasta before his games. This is to ensure he consumes carbohydrates, which are an energy source. The next day, she prepares foods that help with fatigue recovery, providing protein-rich items like grilled fish.

It is said that she significantly influenced her husband's decision to join the Dodgers. She advised that the warm weather on the West Coast would be advantageous. Furthermore, Los Angeles is home to vibrant Japanese communities like Little Tokyo, which she thought would be good for raising children.

It was not a bad choice. During his four years in Los Angeles, he recorded impressive statistics. He had outstanding seasons with 16 wins and 11 losses in 2016 and 13 wins and 6 losses in 2017.

However, things started to go awry when he was traded to Minnesota. Due to the pandemic, he only managed to achieve six wins each season over three seasons, totaling 18 wins and 14 losses in his career.

After completing the 2023 season, he finally earned free agency status. He signed a two-year contract worth $24 million (approximately 33.7 billion won) with Detroit.

However, it became a failed investment. Last year, he appeared in 29 games, pitching 112.1 innings, but struggled with a record of 3 wins and 7 losses. His earned run average (ERA) soared to over 6 (6.09).

Moreover, in his tenth year in Major League Baseball, this year he could not enter the starting rotation. He was demoted to the bullpen and had to spend the first month of the season there. He only pitched 8 innings over 7 games. His ERA increased to 7.88.

Ultimately, on May 2 (Korean time), Detroit designated Maeda for assignment (DFA).

If a desired team appears within the DFA notification period (7 days), he may continue his career. However, the chances of that are slim. There is a forecast that no one would take him on while bearing the remaining salary.

What remains is a return. He is expected to conclude his playing career in Japan.

He is from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. He did not shy away from being the ace of a financially struggling community team for eight seasons. He surpassed 200 innings in a season four times.

Over a total of eight years, he played 218 games. He recorded 97 wins and 67 losses, with an ERA of 2.39. He received the prestigious Sawamura Award twice and also won the pitching triple crown in 2010.

He also had a notable presence as a representative of Japan. During the 2013 World Baseball Classic, he pitched 15 innings, allowing just 1 run (he was named the tournament's best starting pitcher). He did not appear in games against South Korea.

He is known to be passionate about K-pop. He has played Big Bang's "Bang Bang Bang" as his entrance song. During his time in Minnesota, he enjoyed using BLACKPINK's "How You Like That."

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