Tigers Manager Reportedly Informs Veteran Pitcher What Role He'll Have
The Detroit Tigers need to figure out their Opening Day roster and how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together with some projected starters picking up injuries that will put them on the shelf for the early part of the season.
When it comes to their starting rotation, the Tigers had a few more options to choose from compared to what they had down the stretch of the 2024 campaign when manager A.J. Hinch rolled with bullpen games when their ace Tarik Skubal wasn't on the mound.
But now, after reuniting with Jack Flaherty in free agency and the emergence of star prospect Jackson Jobe and former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize, there is a real competition to fill out the starting unit.
One player who is no longer in the mix is Kenta Maeda.
Per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, Hinch has informed the veteran pitcher that he'll begin the year in the bullpen, similar to the role he had last season.
Detroit signed Maeda to a two-year, $24 million contract ahead of the 2024 campaign to be a starting pitcher. But after he struggled through his first 16 starts with a 7.26 ERA, he was converted into a reliever.
The Japanese national actually performed well in that role, posting a 3.86 ERA across his 12 relief outings, striking out 41 batters in 42 innings pitched compared to the 55 K's in 70.1 innings he had as a starter.
Whether or not he stays in the bullpen remains to be seen, but Maeda will officially start the year as a reliever after competing for a rotation spot this spring.
