Kenta Maeda Signs With NPB's Rakuten Eagles

"The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball announced they've signed Kenta Maeda. The 37-year-old righty said in August that he planned to return to his home country next year. A report from Japan's Sankei Sports indicates he signed a two-year contract. This will all but officially close the book on Maeda's career in the major leagues. He pitched in nine MLB seasons, turning in a 4.20 earned run average while coming up a little shy of 1000 innings pitched."

"L.A. shipped Maeda to Minnesota for Brusdar Graterol and over the 2019-20 offseason. Maeda's first season in Minnesota was shortened by the truncated schedule but arguably the best of his career. He turned in a 2.70 ERA while averaging more than six innings per appearance over 11 starts, earning a runner-up finish behind Shane Bieber in AL Cy Young voting."

Kenta Maeda signed a two-year contract with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at age 37, returning to Japan after nine MLB seasons. Maeda posted a 4.20 career MLB ERA and fell just shy of 1,000 innings pitched. He began his MLB tenure with the Dodgers on an eight-year deal, recording a 16-win rookie season with a 3.48 ERA and contributing in the 2017 postseason. Los Angeles traded him to Minnesota, where he produced a 2.70 ERA and finished as a runner-up in AL Cy Young voting. Maeda missed 2022 while rehabbing Tommy John surgery, signed a two-year, $24 million deal with Detroit, struggled with home runs and a 6.09 ERA in 2024, was released in May 2025, and posted a 5.40 ERA across 20 Triple-A starts before returning to Japan.

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