The Los Angeles Dodgers have built a reputation as masters of reclamation. Over the years, they’ve turned countless struggling arms into productive pitchers through a mix of analytics, coaching, and patience. But even the most successful systems have their limits and in this case, the Dodgers should know better than to revisit a familiar name. Kenta Maeda, recently designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers, is not the answer to their current pitching woes.
Maeda, now 36, was DFA’d on Thursday, ending a disappointing tenure with Detroit and leaving the Tigers on the hook for the $10 million they owe him this season. It was a move many saw coming. After a rocky 2023 campaign where he posted a 7.26 ERA in 16 starts — leading to a demotion to the bullpen — Maeda hasn’t shown much improvement this season. In eight innings of relief work, he’s been shelled to the tune of a 7.88 ERA. The Tigers, who gave him every chance to win a rotation spot in spring training, ultimately relegated him to low-leverage mop-up duty and, eventually, the chopping block.
There’s no question the Dodgers need help on the mound. Injuries have depleted their rotation depth, and the front office is always on the lookout for potential low-risk reinforcements. But Maeda, despite his history in Los Angeles, doesn’t offer the upside they should be seeking. If anything, he represents a step backward — a nostalgic but misguided reach for a solution that simply isn’t there.
Let’s not rewrite history too kindly. While Maeda had some productive years in L.A., he also struggled with consistency and was eventually moved to the bullpen in his final season due to performance issues. That move, at the time, was less about maximizing bullpen strength and more about limiting damage. Since then, his decline has been evident. Aside from a strong 2020 campaign where he finished second in Cy Young voting — a season shortened by the pandemic — Maeda has been largely ineffective. He missed all of 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and since returning, he’s failed to regain form.
His post-2020 ERA sits at a troubling 5.08. Even more concerning, he hasn’t been able to eat innings reliably — a vital trait for any team’s back-end starter. Last year, he managed just over 112 innings before Detroit, lacking better options, still felt compelled to demote him. That says more than any stat line could.
The Dodgers don’t need a warm body. They need reliability, potential upside, or at the very least, someone capable of keeping games competitive. Maeda, unfortunately, offers none of that. Sentimentality has no place in roster construction, especially for a team with championship aspirations.
Los Angeles may be known for turning coal into diamonds, but even the best mining operations know when to pass on a lump that’s lost its shine. Maeda had his time in Dodger blue — it’s best for both sides if that chapter stays closed.
