Kenta Maeda's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

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.