JUST IN: Tigers fan base message to management after shocking news of Tigers’ trade negotiation with Japanese free agent pitcher

Eduardo Rodriguez will almost certainly leave the Tigers in free agency this offseason, and they are already looking for a replacement.

According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Detroit has’serious interest’ in acquiring Kenta Maeda.

It’s encouraging to see the Tigers making moves this early in the offseason, and Maeda isn’t a bad pitcher, but is he a good fit for this team?

The Tigers have expressed’serious interest’ in signing Kenta Maeda.
Signing Maeda would make sense for a variety of reasons.

To begin with, the Tigers are desperate for a veteran pitcher to lead their young but injury-prone rotation.
Also, according to Petzold, signing Maeda could help the club “establish themselves in the Japanese pitching market,” potentially leading to more exciting additions in the future.

However, this signing appears to be a mistake.

Maeda will be 36 years old by the start of the next season, and it appears that his best days are behind him.

The former Twin hasn’t thrown 107 innings in a season since 2019 due to injuries, including a UCL tear that ended his 2022 season and a triceps strain this season.

Stats have also been disappointing. In 2023, Maeda went 6-8 with a 4.23 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP (not bad! ), and a 1.1 WAR for Minnesota.

He was better down the stretch, with a 3.36 ERA over his final 88 13 innings, but his 91.2 mph average fastball and inability to last deep into starts don’t inspire much confidence.

It’s past time for the Tigers to make better offseason spending decisions. Maeda will almost certainly not be a key piece when Detroit is ready to compete, and we already have to worry about how Javy Baez’s contract will affect spending in the future.

And two serious injuries in the last two years do not bode well for aging pitchers with slow fastballs.

There’s a chance this signing will pay off, but at what cost, and what if Maeda is out for the majority of the season? Instead, the Tigers should look for younger, more reliable players like Jordan Montgomery, Marcus Stroman, or even former Tiger Michael Lorenzen.

After a better-than-expected 2023 season, Detroit is clearly ready to improve its roster, and you can improve your bankroll with $200 in GUARANTEED bonus bets at BetMGM! Simply click the link below to sign up and place your first bet of $10 or more on anything. You’ll receive $200 in bonus bets right away. Join BetMGM right now!