Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda (37) is in the process of being released by the Detroit Tigers. His 10-year Major League Baseball career is at risk of coming to an end.
On the 2nd (Korea time), Detroit designated right-handed pitcher Maeda for assignment (DFA). If no team claims him during the waiver period, he could be transferred to the minor leagues, resulting in a change in status or becoming a free agent. His salary this year is $10 million, and with the high amount of approximately 14 billion won, the likelihood of a waiver claim is low. Ultimately, it seems that Detroit will bear this cost, and Maeda will become a free agent.
Looking at Maeda's performance, it is clear why he was DFA'd in early May. Since the start of this season, Maeda, who has taken on a bullpen role, has pitched 8 innings in 7 games, allowing 9 hits (1 home run), 6 walks, 3 hit batters, and 8 earned runs (7 of which were earned). His earned run average is 7.88, and his WHIP is 1.88, indicating a significant drop in competitiveness. Except for one game, the other 6 games were played in situations with a lead of more than 3 runs, yet he was unable to throw his pitches effectively.
Recently, he managed to avoid hits and runs for 1 inning in both of his last two games, but Detroit did not hesitate to part ways with Maeda. With a record of 20 wins and 12 losses, and leading the American League (AL) with the highest winning percentage (.625), Detroit views keeping Maeda on the roster as a waste. Right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Owens was called up to replace Maeda after he was DFA'd.
According to 'MLB.com,' A.J. Hinch, manager of the Detroit Tigers, said, "It was a tough decision. When healthy, Maeda was helpful to the team, but he couldn’t regain that form. It’s unfortunate to see his time end this way, but we want to give opportunities to younger players." He noted that Maeda also regretted not being able to contribute, accepting the situation with a very respectful attitude, indicating that it must have been a difficult time for him.
Ultimately, it’s disappointing that he couldn't regain his pitching form. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022, Maeda’s average fastball velocity this year has been limited to 90.2 mph (145.2 km/h). This reflects a drop of 1.9 mph (3.1 km/h) compared to 92.1 mph (148.2 km/h) in 2019. This year, his command has also collapsed, with an average of 6.8 walks per 9 innings, an enormous increase compared to 2.6 over his 9-season career.
It is highly likely that Maeda's Major League Baseball career, amidst speculation of a return to Japan, will come to a close here. He debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and played for the Minnesota Twins from 2020 to 2023 before his recent stint with Detroit, achieving a total of 226 games (172 starts, 986⅔ innings), 68 wins, 56 losses, 6 saves, 10 holds, and an earned run average of 4.20, with 1,055 strikeouts over 9 seasons.
The 4 seasons from 2016 to 2019 spent with the Dodgers were his prime years. During this period, he appeared in 137 games (103⅓ starts, pitching 589 innings) with a record of 47 wins, 35 losses, 6 saves, 9 holds, and an earned run average of 3.87, striking out 641 batters. He achieved double-digit wins in 3 seasons during his time with the Dodgers, winning 16 games in 2016, 13 in 2017, and 10 in 2019.
Maeda became a topic of conversation due to his 'slave contract' upon signing with the Dodgers. After posting in January 2016 to challenge the Major Leagues, Maeda signed an 8-year, $25 million guaranteed contract with the Dodgers. The signing bonus was $1 million, with a base salary of $3 million, which was less favorable than expected.
At that time, the Dodgers included incentives in the contract that could total up to $10.15 million per year, such as a roster bonus ($15 million), additional bonuses for starts (each for 15 and 20 games at $1 million, and for 25, 30, and 32 games at $1.5 million), and pitching innings (from 90 to 190 innings at $250,000 for every additional 10 innings, with a bonus of $750,000 for achieving 200 innings). Concerned about Maeda's durability, the Dodgers wanted to ensure they had a strong safety net, and Maeda, who preferred the LA area, signed despite all these conditions.
As a result, Maeda didn't even collect half of the incentives. In his first full year in 2016, he earned $8.9 million, followed by $7.9 million in 2017, $3.15 million in 2018, and $5.4 million in 2019. His role changed to that of a reliever in the seasons' finales due to the abundance of starting pitching resources with the Dodgers, leading to difficulties in meeting the incentives due to a lack of starts and innings.
Even after being traded to Minnesota in 2020, the first year was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing his incentives to drop by 37%, not exceeding $3 million. In 2021, he finished the season in mid-August due to an elbow injury, satisfying $2.65 million of the incentives. In 2022, there were no appearances as he was rehabilitating, resulting in no incentives, and in the last year of his 8-year contract in 2023, he received only $2.65 million. Over the 8 years, Maeda's total incentives amounted to approximately $36.65 million, not even meeting half of the guaranteed amount. Including the guaranteed $25 million, the total stands at $58.65 million, marking the end of his 8-year slave contract.
After the slave contract ended, Maeda signed a free agent contract with Detroit for 2 years and $24 million. He received a generous salary of $14 million last year and $10 million this year. Although Detroit expected Maeda to bounce back, it ultimately proved to be a waste of money, and this year's salary has essentially gone to waste. Last year, he struggled with a record of 3 wins, 7 losses, 1 hold, an earned run average of 6.09, and 96 strikeouts over 29 games (17 starts, 112⅓ innings). This year, he fell to the point of not being usable even in a bullpen role.
As a result, the Dodgers effectively utilized Maeda’s prime years under the 'slave contract' and used him as a trade card at the appropriate time. Even with Minnesota, he only briefly shone in the shortened 2020 season, finishing second in the American League (AL) Cy Young Award, and has not surpassed 110 innings in a season since due to elbow injuries.
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