Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers have released Japanese right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda.
The Detroit organization officially announced on the 8th (Korean time) that they placed Maeda on unconditional waivers. Prior to this, on the 2nd, they excluded him from the 40-man roster, signaling his release.
Maeda's salary for this year is $10 million (approximately 14 billion won). Due to his high salary, it seems unlikely that a desired team will emerge through the waiver process. The possibility of a return to the Japanese league is also being mentioned.
Maeda signed a 2-year, $24 million (approximately 33.5 billion won) contract with Detroit after completing the 2023 season. He recorded a 3-7 win-loss record last season. He returned to the bullpen midway through the season. He also fell behind in the starting competition this year, finishing with an earned run average of 7.88 in 7 games.
Maeda was the ace of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. In 8 years, he played 218 games, achieving a record of 97 wins and 67 losses, with an earned run average of 2.39. He also won the Sawamura Award, given to the best pitcher, twice.
In 2016, he left Hiroshima and joined the LA Dodgers through the posting system. In his first year, he recorded 16 wins, followed by 13 wins in the next year, contributing as a key pitcher. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was limited to 18 wins over 3 years. He has a cumulative record of 68 wins and 56 losses in Major League Baseball.
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