Struggling Detroit Tigers Pitcher Not Projected to Stay Past This Season
The Detroit Tigers season in 2024 was interesting from a pitching standpoint.
Seeing the highest of highs with Tarik Skubal leading the rotation and winning the American League Cy Young in unanimous fashion and bringing the team to the doorstep of the ALCS, the picture behind Skubal was largely not a pretty one.
The Tigers made a couple of acquisitions last winter who they hoped would bolster the rotation, and they hit on one of them with Jack Flaherty finding a gear he hadn't had throughout his entire career.
Unfortunately for Detroit, they only had Flaherty on a one-year deal and shipped him out of town at the deadline after 18 sensational starts.
Even more unfortunate then Flaherty only being signed on for one season was the fact they gave Kenta Maeda a two-year deal worth $24 million. Maeda got off to a disastrous start and was better from the bullpen, but the $12 million he's owed this season made him virtually untradable.
Maeda will have his chance again in 2025, but whether it goes well or not, that will likely be it. Jovan Alford of FanSided predicted Tigers players who will be leaving the team in the calendar year of 2025, and the first one on his list was Maeda.
"Based on how he finished last year, the Tigers’ front office isn’t ready to give up on the veteran and wants to see how he does again in the starting rotation," Alford wrote. "...Maeda has a prime opportunity to show he deserves to be a starter again and hopefully earn another contract in Detroit or with another team."
Alford pointed out that while Maeda began the season with a 7.42 ERA and a 2-6 record as a starter over 17 appearances, his 3.86 ERA in 12 bullpen appearances to close out the regular season was enough for the team to at least give him his chance to earn his way back into the rotation, or at worst a return to the bullpen.
Maeda was left off Detroit's playoff roster due to his inconsistency during the season but how he fares during spring training is ultimately going to determine his fate in 2025. In a best case scenario, he turns things around and has a great season as a key factor likely in the No. 5 spot of the rotation, but this would likely see him return to the open market and secure a nice contract elsewhere.
If Maeda continues to struggle, the Tigers will be stuck with him for the year but have no reason to bring him back after this season. Time will tell exactly how this situation plays out, but all signs are pointing to just one more season for Maeda in the Motor City.
