Detroit Tigers Veteran Shows High Velocity In Impressive Spring Training Debut
The Detroit Tigers played their first spring training matchup on Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Phillies, a tilt which ended in a 7-6 Tigers victory.
While it's always nice to get the year officially started in the win column, the big story of the day only played in two innings. In what was a relatively eyebrow-raising development, A.J. Hinch selected veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda as his starter for the game.
After signing a lucrative two-year deal with Detroit last offseason, Maeda had a brutal season and was moved to the bullpen and appear to stabilize himself. Now in the second year and still owed $10 million, Maeda has found himself in a fight to crack the starting rotation.
On Saturday, he showed that even though he has been forgotten about due to additions like the return of Jack Flaherty along with top prospect Jackson Jobe, Maeda is capable of helping this team win games as a starter.
In two scoreless innings the 36-year-old struck out four batters and did not give up a hit or walk. Even more impressive was his velocity, with his four-seam fastball averaging 92.4 mph and maxing out just below 94 mph. He average less than 90 mph last season per Statcast.
"This one definitely felt different," Maeda said via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. "I usually feel an enjoyment to go out there and see how I feel in the first game of spring training, but this one was different. There were definitely some nerves in me. I haven't felt that in a while, so that was very exciting."
The Tigers signed Maeda largely based on the second half of the 2023 season with the Minnesota Twins. After the All-Star break that year, the righty had a 3.79 ERA through 14 appearances with a WHIP of 1.120 and 82 strikeouts in 71.1 innings pitched.
Detroit does not need him to be an ace. But if the veteran can get back to the version of himself he was just a year and a half ago, it would go a long way toward shoring up the questionable depth in the back end of the staff.
There is a case for eight players for five rotation spots, but with a strong debut in live game action and a much more live arm, Maeda appears to be on the right track to doing just that.
