Tigers president drops eye-opening Kenta Maeda message
11/10/2024 09:32 PM
The Detroit Tigers had a spectacular 2024 season. From nine games below .500 in August to the American League Division Series, they brought some baseball magic back to the Motor City. There is plenty to be excited about after the season but one of their starters was not one of them. Veteran Kenta Maeda fell out of favor and has plenty of questions to answer before the Tigers start 2025. President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris had some answers in the Detroit Free Press on Sunday.
“He’s going to compete for a spot in our rotation,” Harris told Evan Petzold at the GM meetings. “We have a lot of starters that are coming to camp expecting to compete for a job. Kenta at his best will have every opportunity to earn a job in our rotation.”
It is no secret that the Tigers need starting pitching. Tarik Skubal will likely win the American League Cy Young Award but their depth is non-existent. Maeda did not pitch in the playoffs and was booted to the bullpen in July. He must come back in the spring ready to be a top-line starter.
The Tigers should be in the market for a veteran arm in free agency this winter. Yusei Kikuchi would be a perfect fit after his resurgent second half with the Houston Astros.
Kenta Maeda has high expectations for 2025
The Tigers do not traditionally spend a lot of money in free agency. While they are in a big city, they do not have big market pockets. Javier Baez was given one of the biggest contracts in team history and has not performed well at all. He was hurt for the entire run through September and into October. If they cannot trade Baez this offseason, they will have to spend around that anchor.
Despite their playoff success this season, the Tigers are not expected to give out any big contracts. That means they could add a pitcher or two around the margins, but there are no Max Fried or Corbin Burnes deals coming to Detroit. Maeda has been a solid pitcher throughout his career and the Tigers need one more great season at 36 years old.
The American League Central should be strong in 2025 despite the White Sox weighing them down. While the Guardians, Tigers, and Royals all made the postseason, they did not fare well overall. Detroit needs to have a strong rotation to counteract their division rivals’ improvements.
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