The Detroit Tigers appear to be focused on one veteran pitcher in particular.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Tigers’ pursuit of free-agent righty Kenta Maeda has intensified in recent days. According to Morosi, previous reports indicated that Detroit has “serious interest” in Maeda this MLB offseason.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Maeda, 35, was a Cy Young finalist for the Minnesota Twins (going 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 11 starts). He went 6-8 with a 4.23 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 20 starts for the Twins last season.
Maeda, on the other hand, has plenty of tread on his tires at this point. He pitched in Japan for nearly a decade before joining MLB in 2016, and he now has a Tommy John surgery scheduled for 2021. Maeda, on the other hand, has good swing-and-miss stuff and the ability to eat innings as a reliable mid-rotation starter. That could come in handy for the Tigers, who dealt away some pitching talent at the trade deadline last season.
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