Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda was unable to earn a rotation spot this spring and will begin the season in the bullpen, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Despite Maeda's sterling 1:19 BB:K over 12 2/3 spring innings, the veteran allowed eight earned runs during that time (5.68 ERA) on 13 hits, four of which were home runs. The righty began last season in the rotation but was relegated to the bullpen after his July 9 start, the sixth time in 16 starts to that point that he'd given up at least five earned runs. He posted a 7.42 ERA as a starter in 2024 (70 1/3 innings) and a 3.86 ERA as a reliever (42 frames). If the 36-year-old can have similar success with strikeouts as he did in Grapefruit League play, his ERA from '24 suggests he might be a solid relief option for Detroit in '25, but the Japanese pitcher is probably only a viable fantasy option in deep AL-only leagues. Casey Mize and Jackson Jobe will take the final rotation spots for the Tigers.

The Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold reports that Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda will start the team's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Maeda hit 92 mph during his live batting practice session on Tuesday in camp, which is significantly higher than where he was at a year ago. The Tigers would likely to get as many looks at the 36-year-old veteran in spring training before deciding what his role will be to start the 2025 season. It's unclear if he'll be a starter or reliever on Opening Day, but the injury to Alex Cobb (hip) certainly increases Maeda's chances of sticking in a starting role, at least early on. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues will be avoiding the Japanese hurler, even if he wins a rotation spot, after an ugly 6.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with only 96 K's in 112 1/3 innings in 2024. His 7.69 K/9 mark was the worst of his career.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda could have a path to opening the season in the starting rotation with Alex Cobb (hip) set to miss a month of action. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic noted that the team could give the veteran right-hander a look in spring training with the open spot in the rotation. Last season, Maeda appeared in 29 games but only started 17 of them. Across 112 1/3 total frames, the 36-year-old posted a disappointing 6.09 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. However, the right-hander worked on his mechanics during the offseason in hopes of returning to form. During the 2023 campaign, Maeda held a 4.23 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP across a similar 104 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress during spring training as he will likely compete alongside Casey Mize and top prospect Jackson Jobe for a starting role. If he does earn the job, he could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats.

With Detroit Tigers pitchers Casey Mize, Keider Montero and Brant Hurter each having cases to begin the year in the starting rotation in 2025, it has made veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda's role less clear. The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen writes that the Tigers have talked about revamping Maeda's offseason plan to help him recapture what has made him successful after he had an ugly 6.09 ERA in 2024. Despite the fact that Maeda was better as a reliever (4.44 ERA) in 2024, the Tigers could take one more shot with him as a starter since they will be paying him $10 million. Another option for Detroit would be using the 36-year-old Japanese hurler as a swing man. That or Maeda being used strictly out of the bullpen is looking much more likely now after the Tigers reunited with right-hander Jack Flaherty on Sunday. Maeda had a career-worst 7.69 K/9 last year and should be avoided in most fantasy drafts this spring.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda had one of his best outings of the year on Thursday, going 5 innings of shutout ball against the Seattle Mariners. Maeda came in after opener Alex Faedo allowed a run in the first inning, but the veteran shut down the M's into the seventh, keeping his team in the game and eventually giving them a chance to grab a 2-1 win. Maeda looked very sharp in this one, allowing just one hit and one walk while punching out five. Although he's had some decent appearances recently, Maeda is tough to trust on a start-to-start basis because he often has an opener used in front of him and doesn't pitch deep into games. He will have to show more outings like this one to even be streamer-worthy in fantasy.

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.

Starting pitcher Kenta Maeda has been in talks with the Detroit Tigers this week, and those talks have intensified over the last couple of days. Maeda signed an eight-year, $25 million contract with the Dodgers in 2016 that was full of incentives -- his first contract stateside. The Japanese-born pitcher will be 36 years old next season and will likely receive a one- or two-year contract toward the end of his career. Steamer projections have Maeda pitching in 24 games and finishing 2024 with a 4.15 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched. Those numbers are similar to his 2023 stats, which means he'd be a good fantasy player in deeper leagues as rotation depth.

The Minnesota Twins are interested in bringing back starting pitcher Kenta Maeda. The right-hander has spent the past three seasons in Minnesota, most recently working to a 4.23 ERA across 21 outings (20 starts) in the 2023 season. However, there's reason to believe he pitched better than his surface ERA might suggest as he also posted a 3.76 SIERA while his 20.8% K-BB% was the second-best mark of his MLB career and his best figure among non-COVID seasons as he put forth a 28.2% K-BB% in the shortened 2020 season when he finished second in AL Cy Young voting. The 35-year-old missed the 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but is garnering interest ahead of his second season back while the rival Detroit Tigers have also shown interest in the veteran.

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda is being moved to the bullpen for the coming week, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. Maeda was originally slated to pitch on Tuesday against Oakland, but Baldelli appears to be setting up his postseason rotation and wants to see Maeda get some reps out of the bullpen in preparation for that. It is a tough break for Maeda's fantasy managers, as a tasty matchup against the A's in the championship week could've made for a nice stat line. Bailey Ober will start in his place on Tuesday and is worth a look in leagues where he is available.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kenta Maeda tossed seven sparkling frames on Thursday, matching a season-high while leading the Twins to a 10-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Maeda allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight, with both runs coming in his final inning of work. He had his splitter working in this one, as it generated nine whiffs on 25 swings. The 35-year-old's biggest issue this season has been length, so it was nice to see that he was stretched out to 105 pitches in this one. He could be helpful down the stretch for fantasy managers in the playoffs and is worth a look next week with a middling match-up against Cincinnati on tap.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda will look to see some more positive regression take place when he takes on the Chicago White Sox on the road Thursday. The veteran right-hander enters Thursday's start sporting a 4.65 ERA on the season, but also a 4.20 FIP, 3.93 SIERA, and a stellar 19.4% K-BB% that is right in line with his 19.6% career mark. The 35-year-old saw improved results with 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball his last time out against the Mets and has now allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts. He has a great opportunity to continue his solid stretch as he takes on a White Sox offense that sits dead last with a .293 wOBA versus right-handed pitching this season.