Seeking to add potential starting pitching depth, the New York Yankees have reportedly signed Kenta Maeda to a minor-league contract.
Maeda and the Yankees were in discussions on a possible deal, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports. Independent journalist Yuki Yamada followed up with a report that the two sides agreed to a contract.
The right-hander, 37, was designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers in May after seven appearances in which he compiled a 7.86 ERA with eight strikeouts in eight innings. Maeda signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Tigers before the 2024 season. But he’d been demoted to the bullpen during the 2024 season while accumulating a 6.09 ERA and 3-7 record.
Maeda had signed with the Chicago Cubs and was pitching for their Triple-A Iowa affiliate. But he was released by the Cubs this past weekend, according to MLB.com. In 12 starts with Iowa, Maeda registered a 6.12 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings.
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Signing Maeda comes after the Yankees released veteran Marcus Stroman last week after he posted a 6.23 ERA in nine starts. The team added relievers David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird (along with to utilityman José Caballero) before Thursday’s MLB trade deadline, but did not acquire a starting pitcher.
The Yankees were moving forward with a starting rotation of Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Luis Gil, with rookies Will Warren and Cam Schlittler at the back end. However, Gil looked very much like a work in progress in his first start of the season on Sunday after returning from a lat strain. Facing the Miami Marlins, last year’s AL Rookie of the Year gave up five runs on five hits and four walks.
That performance may have compelled the Yankees to bring in some additional depth as Gil essentially goes through a spring training-type of preparation in August.
Maeda is in his ninth MLB season after pitching nine years for Hiroshima in the Japan Central League. He pitched four seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to the Minnesota Twins, with whom he finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting during the 2020 COVID-shortened season. For his career, Maeda has a 4.20 ERA, averaging 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings with a 68-56 record.
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