KENTA MAEDA NEWS

Suffers loss in spot start Maeda (3-7) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs on five hits and one walk over 4.2 innings against the White Sox. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda, who also hit a batter, struggled in his first start since early July, allowing five runs including a three-run homer by Lenyn Sosa. Maeda finished the regular season with 17 starts among 29 appearances, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, though he compiled a 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 through 42 innings out of the pen. As the Tigers prepare for a Wild Card matchup with the Astros, Maeda will revert back into a bullpen role.

SEPTEMBER 30 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers' pitching staff comes into focus ahead of Wild Card Series with Astros DETROIT -- The Tigers arrived at Comerica Park on Sunday morning with bags at their lockers and the team plane waiting at Metro Airport but...

SEPTEMBER 29 • MLB.COM

Starting Sunday vs. White Sox Maeda is starting Sunday against the White Sox.

Impact This will be Maeda's first start since July 9. He has been much better out of the bullpen (3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) than in the rotation (7.26 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) this season, but the Tigers will look to him to eat some innings on the final day of the regular season.

SEPTEMBER 29 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles in relief Saturday Maeda allowed three runs on two hits and a walk across two innings of relief in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles. He struck out two.

Impact Maeda was not charged with the loss, as Detroit already trailed 1-0 when he entered the game, but he didn't help his team's cause, either. The veteran righty has struggled all season, and his ERA now sits at an unsightly 6.07 after Saturday's poor performance. Maeda did come into the contest having logged 3.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but before that, he gave up eight runs (six earned) in his previous 9.1 innings. He's been much too volatile to trust in fantasy, and it remains to be seen what his role will be in 2025.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Pitches in middle relief Thursday Maeda struck out one over 1.2 perfect innings out of the bullpen in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

Impact Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a rotation spot over the past two months while frequently operating as a bulk reliever behind opener. However, Maeda was deployed in middle relief Thursday, with starter Casey Mize working five-plus innings before the former entered the game with one out and a runner on first base in the bottom the sixth inning. With Mize back in action following a recent stint on the 60-day injured list and with Brant Hurter and Ty Madden looking to have secured back-end spots in the Detroit rotation, Maeda appears poised to be used as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen moving forward.

SEPTEMBER 6 • ROTOWIRE

Earns third win Wednesday Maeda (3-6) allowed two unearned runs on four hits across 4.1 innings of relief to earn the win in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Angels. He walked two and struck out five.

Impact Maeda followed opener Mason Englert, who worked the first two innings of the game. Maeda mostly pitched well, with his only major blemish a home run by Mickey Moniak in the sixth inning following a Trey Sweeney error. The veteran righty allowed six earned runs over five innings in his last appearance, and he has an ugly 6.14 ERA overall this season, so Wednesday's effort was a pleasant surprise. It will take more sustained success for fantasy managers to trust Maeda, however, and he remains a risky option despite the step in the right direction.

AUGUST 29 • ROTOWIRE

Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter lead the Tigers to 6th straight win, 3-2 over Angels

Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Kerry Carpenter added an RBI single in the third as the Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to six games...

AUGUST 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Could work in bulk relief Wednesday Maeda is expected to be used as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Mason Englert in Wednesday's game against the Angels, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Impact Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a spot in the rotation since the All-Star break while working as a bulk reliever. He's turned in a 4.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 26:2 K:BB over 29.2 innings across his seven relief appearances, with his ERA inflated by a rough showing this past Thursday against the Cubs in which he coughed up six runs across five frames. After Wednesday's appearance, Maeda could move into more a flexible multi-inning role out of the bullpen with the Tigers having recently added Triple-A Toledo call-up Ty Madden to the rotation. Additionally, Casey Mize (hamstring) appears poised to return from the 60-day injured list this weekend to give the Tigers another rotation option.

AUGUST 28 • ROTOWIRE

Rocked by Cubs Maeda (2-6) took the loss Thursday against the Cubs, allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda was hit early and often while serving in bulk relief Thursday, allowing a grand slam to Miguel Amaya in the second frame and surrendering a pair of doubles later in the outing. Since the start of July, Maeda has stumbled to a 7.60 ERA with a 31:8 K:BB across 36 innings. Though he may follow an opener again, Maeda is tentatively scheduled to pitch against the Angels early next week.

AUGUST 23 • ROTOWIRE

Miguel Amaya hits his first career grand slam and drives in 5 as the Cubs pound the Tigers 10-2

Miguel Amaya hit his first career grand slam and drove in a personal-best five runs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Detroit Tigers 10-2

AUGUST 22 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Allows one hit in bulk role Maeda didn't factor into the decision Thursday against Seattle, allowing just one hit and one walk over 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out five.

Impact Maeda's certainly shown improvement since he started working in bulk relief -- he's posted a 2.84 ERA across 19 innings in his last four appearances. Overall, the veteran right-hander is 2-5 with a 6.18 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 71:25 K:BB across 90.1 innings this year. Maeada's currently slated to start next week on the road versus the Cubs, though he could work behind an opener again due to his recent success.

AUGUST 15 • ROTOWIRE

Decent showing as bulk reliever Maeda allowed two runs on four hits and struck out two without walking a batter over 4.2 innings of relief versus the Giants on Friday. He did not factor in the decision.

Impact Maeda continues to stretch out in anticipation of a return to the rotation -- he threw 72 pitches (46 strikes) Friday, up from 69 pitches in his previous outing. The veteran right-hander had a decent performance but couldn't sustain a 2-0 lead, allowing a run to score on a sacrifice fly in both the seventh and eighth innings. Maeda is now at a 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 66:24 K:BB over 84.2 innings across 21 appearances (16 starts). He's projected to make his next appearance at home versus the Mariners, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him follow an opener at least one more time.

AUGUST 10 • ROTOWIRE

Conforto scores on Canha's sacrifice fly in 9th and Giants edge Tigers 3-2

Michael Conforto scored on Mark Canha’s sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers after being no-hit thr...

AUGUST 10 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Working way back into rotation Maeda covered 3.2 innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Royals in 11 innings. He gave up three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four.

Impact Maeda has now made each of his last four appearances out of the bullpen, submitting a 4.40 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 14:1 K:BB in 14.1 innings during that stretch. The Tigers shifted the veteran right-hander to a relief role after he struggled to a 7.26 ERA through 15 starts, but manager A.J. Hinch suggested Friday that Maeda will eventually rejoin the rotation, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Maeda is essentially stretched out for a starter's workload at this point; he tossed 69 pitches behind opening pitcher Tyler Holton in Saturday's contest.

AUGUST 5 • ROTOWIRE

Serves in bulk role Sunday Maeda allowed one run on five hits across five innings of relief in Sunday's 5-0 loss to the Twins. He struck out four.

Impact It was a bullpen game for Detroit with Alex Faedo starting, so the team turned to Maeda for some length in relief. The veteran delivered a strong performance, which was much needed after allowing 18 runs over 12 innings in his last four appearances. Maeda is still sitting with a rough 6.72 ERA overall, and he has virtually no fantasy value if he's not starting games for the Tigers. Maeda could reenter the rotation if one or both of Jack Flaherty and Tarik Skubal get traded before Tuesday's deadline. Maeda will be tough to trust if that happens, however, considering his struggles as a starter earlier this season.

JULY 28 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles continue in relief role Maeda allowed three runs on three hits across two innings of relief in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Blue Jays. He struck out one.

Impact Maeda was effective in his first relief appearance of the year when he tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in the final game before the All-Star break. However, his second appearance did not go as well, with a Vladimir Guerrero two-run home run accounting for a big chunk of the damage. Madea has struggled throughout his first season with the Tigers, as he's now sitting with a career-worst 7.07 ERA across 71.1 innings. It seems unlikely that the veteran will rejoin the rotation anytime soon, and his fantasy value remains low given his current role and ineffectiveness. However, Reese Olson (shoulder) did leave Saturday's start early, which could open up a spot at least in the short term if he's forced to miss any time.

JULY 21 • ROTOWIRE

Delivers scoreless appearance Maeda came out of the bullpen and threw 3.2 shutout frames during Detroit's walk-off win over the Dodgers. He allowed one hit and struck out five batters.

Impact For the first time this season, Maeda worked a bulk-relief role and the results looked great. He threw 34 of 55 pitches for strikes and generated 11 whiffs. He was crushed for 15 runs in just 6.1 innings over his previous two outings. Maeda will enter the second half without a clear role in Detroit. He's registered an unsightly 6.88 ERA and 55:23 K:BB through 69.1 frames.

JULY 15 • ROTOWIRE

Likely to work in bulk relief Maeda is expected to serve as a bulk reliever behind starter Beau Brieske in Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Impact After Maeda delivered a 7.26 ERA and 1.58 WHiP through his first 16 starts of the season, manager A.J. Hinch announced Thursday that the veteran right-hander will work out of the bullpen "for the foreseeable future." Before being moved to the bullpen Maeda had been lined up to start Sunday's series finale, but the Tigers haven't yet added a formal replacement in the rotation for the 36-year-old. Triple- A Toledo pitcher Matt Manning could eventually step in as the Tigers' new No. 5 starter after the All-Star break, but Detroit will first rely on its bullpen to get through the final game of the first half. Brieske hasn't covered more than three innings in any of his 31 outings between the majors and Triple-A this season, so he'll likely be on a short leash before turning the ball over to Maeda at some point. Maeda hasn't been used since his last start Tuesday versus the Guardians, so he's the freshest arm in the Detroit bullpen.

JULY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers sending unperforming RHP Kenta Maeda to bullpen The Detroit Tigers are moving struggling starter Kenta Maeda to the bullpen.Manager A.J.Hinch told reporters Thursday that there is no timel...

JULY 11 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Tigers shuffle a struggling Maeda to bullpen DETROIT -- The Tigers will use the upcoming All-Star break to reshuffle their rotation without Kenta Maeda, who is being moved to the bullpe...

JULY 11 • MLB.COM

Heading to bullpen Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Maeda won't make his next scheduled start Sunday versus the Dodgers and has been moved to the bullpen "for the foreseeable future," Evan Woodbery of...

Impact Maeda's demotion to the bullpen comes after he was lit up for six earned runs over 2.2 innings in his most recent start in Tuesday's 9-8 loss to the Guardians, bringing his season ERA to 7.26 over 65.2 frames. The Tigers signed the 36-year-old to a two-year, $24 million contract this winter with the hope that he would bring some experience and stability to the middle of a young rotation, but Maeda has fallen well short of the club's expectation. As a soft-tossing right-hander who doesn't make many bats miss at this stage of his career, Maeda wouldn't seem to be a candidate to see a dramatic spike in his performance while working out of the bullpen, so the Tigers could relegate him to lower-leverage or mop-up situations. Hinch didn't immediately name a replacement in the rotation for Maeda on Sunday, but Matt Manning has previously made five starts with the big club this season and would be available on four days' rest after making his latest start at Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.

JULY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Yields six runs in no-decision Maeda allowed six runs on seven hits, a walk and two strikeouts over 2.2 innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Guardians.

Impact Maeda's rough stretch continues with yet another short outing, he's now allowed 15 runs over his last two games, which is the most in a two-game span in his career. The 36-year-old has now allowed six or more runs in a game five times this season, tied with Kevin Gausman for most in MLB this season. Maeda's ERA has jumped to 7.26, which is the highest by an American League pitcher with a minimum of 50 innings in 2024.

JULY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Suffers ugly loss Thursday Maeda (2-5) allowed nine runs on nine hits across 3.2 innings to take the loss Thursday against the Twins. He walked three and struck out three.

Impact It was another ugly performance for Maeda, who saw his season ERA climb to 6.71. Outside of a clean first inning, the veteran allowed multiple runs to score in each of his other frames. Maeda had a decent 2023 campaign for these same Twins, posting a 4.23 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 104.1 innings, but he hasn't carried that over into his first season in Detroit. The righty lines up to start again Tuesday against the Guardians, though at this point he can't be trusted by fantasy managers.

JULY 5 • ROTOWIRE

Maeda undone by late-count struggles against former club MINNEAPOLIS -- Kenta Maeda could only shake his head Thursday as Ryan Jeffers sent his 88th and final pitch down the left-field line for a t...

JULY 4 • MLB.COM

Detroit pitcher Kenta Maeda says he's OK despite taking line drive off glove and stomach vs. Angels

Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda should be on schedule to make his next start despite being hit by a liner during during the sixth inning of Friday’s game against the Los Angeles...

JUNE 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS