Kenta Maeda Will Return to Japan After 10 Years in MLB with Dodgers, Tigers, Twins

Right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda, who played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers over 10 seasons (2016-2025), announced that he is returning to Japan to continue his professional career.

"I've decided to continue my career in Japan starting next season," Maeda said in part.

"Playing baseball in the United States from 2016 to 2025 has been a dream come true and a decade full of unforgettable moments for which I'm deeply grateful. I'm incredibly thankful for all the amazing teammates, staff, and fans I've met along the way, and those connections mean the world to me."

Maeda pitched for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 2008-2015 before heading to the United States and signing with the Dodgers.

Maeda starred in Japan, winning the Japanese Triple Crown in 2010 and earning All-Star honors on five occasions.

He fared well for the first five years of his career, going 53-36 with a 3.75 ERA (1.11 WHIP) and 9.9 K/9 rate. Maeda even finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season for the Twins.

The back half of his MLB career saw some struggles. Unfortunately, Maeda had to undergo Tommy John surgery in late 2021, and he missed the entire 2022 season.

Maeda returned in 2023 and had a 4.23 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 104.1 innings in 21 games (20 starts). He then left for the Detroit Tigers but struggled, posting a 6.21 ERA over 36 games (17 starts) in two seasons.

Detroit parted ways with him on May 7, 2025. He later signed with the Chicago Cubs on a minor league contract but was released in August. Maeda then signed with the New York Yankees on a minor league deal and finished the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Maeda certainly found success in MLB, and now he's headed back to Japan to finish out a pro career that's nearing its third decade.