Veteran pitcher Kenta Maeda, who was released by the Detroit Tigers last week, has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.
The 37-year-old right-hander struggled this season, making just seven appearances and posting a 7.88 ERA across eight innings. He issued six walks, struck out eight, hit three batters, and threw two wild pitches.
Maeda originally joined the Tigers on a two-year, $24 million contract ahead of the 2024 season and began the year as a starter. However, after a string of poor performances, he was moved to the bullpen last July, where he fared better — recording a 3.86 ERA in 12 relief outings with 41 strikeouts and seven walks in 42 innings.
Over the offseason, Maeda revamped his training, starting earlier and working to increase his velocity. He showed promise during spring training, striking out 19 and walking only one over 12 2/3 innings. Still, strong performances from Casey Mize and top prospect Jackson Jobe kept him out of Detroit’s rotation.
Maeda couldn’t regain form in 2025, struggling to find a consistent role in the bullpen. The Tigers will still pay most of the $10 million he’s owed this year, though the Cubs will cover a prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary if Maeda makes their big-league roster.
While the Cubs haven’t specified Maeda’s assignment, he’s expected to begin with Triple-A Iowa.
Maeda, who began his MLB career with the Dodgers in 2016 after a successful run in Japan, later pitched for the Twins, finishing second in Cy Young voting during the shortened 2020 season. He missed all of 2022 following Tommy John surgery but made a solid return in 2023 with a 4.23 ERA and 117 strikeouts in over 100 innings.
Now with the Cubs, Maeda will aim to keep his major league career alive — though if this stint doesn’t work out, a return to Japan could be on the horizon.
“He’s had success. He’s had struggles,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday. “It’s about ongoing conversations, adjustments, and seeing where he’s at.”
