The Tigers are shifting Kenta Maeda, the second highest-paid player on their roster, to the bullpen for the “foreseeable future.” Tigers’ manager A.J. Hinch announced on Thursday that the righty will not make his next scheduled start and will instead move to the bullpen.
Maeda, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract with Detroit in November, has a 7.26 ERA through 16 starts. This is not the outcome the Tigers envisioned when they signed the eight-year MLB veteran. Detroit signed Maeda in part based on his second-half success last year coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2021. His fastball gained velocity while his slider emerged as a valuable put-away pitch. But things have gone in the opposite direction in 2024.
While his command has remained relatively solid (7.9% walk rate), his strikeout rate has plummeted to 17.1%. Not to mention his average fastball velocity dropped to 90.3 mph, the lowest of his MLB career. Most problematically, Maeda has allowed 15 homers over 65 ⅔ innings on the year. That’s two shy of his 2023 total (104 ⅓ innings) and one shy of his 2022 total (106 ⅓ innings).
Maeda’s next start would have come on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Detroit is making that a bullpen game instead.
“There’s definitely frustration. Nothing’s really going right at this point. I’m causing too much trouble to the team, and I feel sorry about that,” Maeda said through interpreter Dai Sekizaki.
Kenta Maeda is heading to the bullpen 😬
Is this the right move by A.J. Hinch? pic.twitter.com/iNjC6MWs7A
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) July 11, 2024
Tigers Shift Kenta Maeda to Bullpen Amid Struggles
According to Detroit’s skipper, the 36-year-old right-hander will remain in the bullpen when the Tigers return from the All-Star break. While Maeda has been a starter throughout his career, he does have some experience pitching out of the bullpen. Making 36 relief appearances for the Dodgers from 2017-19, Maeda recorded a 3.15 ERA with 63 strikeouts while picking up six saves.
Detroit has built a strong reputation for developing young arms and getting veterans back to previous success. They have three strong examples in rookie Keider Montero, second-year breakout Reese Olson, and veteran righty Jack Flaherty.
“We have some adjustments we’d like him to make,” Hinch told reporters on Thursday. “He’s open to any and all ideas.”
Detroit plays 12 consecutive games out of the break before their first off day of the second half on July 31st. Other than Kenta Maeda not being in the rotation, the Tigers’ post-All-Star break plans remain unclear. After Sunday’s bullpen game, Hinch and company will use the four-day break to come up with a new game plan. Their top internal option would be Matt Manning who has already made five starts for them this season. The 26-year-old has been working through adjustments at Triple-A Toledo, where he has a 5.03 ERA through 11 games. Of course, the ideal scenario would see Maeda rediscover his form in the bullpen and rejoin the starting staff.
Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
