After a disastrous tenure with the Detroit Tigers, veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda will look for a late-career revival, hopefully benefiting the Chicago Cubs.
On Thursday night, the team agreed to terms with Maeda on a minor-league contract. If the 37-year-old can produce anything resembling his past performance with the Dodgers and Twins, the Cubs will have struck gold once again.
Maeda was designated for assignment by the Tigers in early May, which was warranted. Given Detroit's dominant start to the season, there was simply no room for the right-hander to find his form. A 7.88 ERA is not something a playoff team can count on.
Enter the Cubs, who are in a prime position to capitalize on another team's castoff. Similar to the addition of Jorge López in 2024, the team stands to lose nothing by adding Maeda to the organization.
By no means will Maeda offer overpowering stuff, but if he can click with the Cubs' pitching lab, he stands to benefit greatly as a long relief option in the bullpen. Case in point is Drew Pomeranz, who has stepped up mightily after the team took a flier on him.
This is what the Cubs do: acquire under-the-radar pitchers they can mold into solid contributors to their bullpen. Brad Keller and Chris Flexen have provided unexpected value since their signings before the season.
If Maeda isn't contributing to Triple-A Iowa, there is no harm in releasing him. The Cubs stand to lose nothing but could gain significantly from a potential career resurgence. A veteran of his caliber could prove valuable for the rest of the season.
