Yankees sign former Japanese star pitcher as possible Marcus Stroman replacement

A few days after releasing Marcus Stroman, the New York Yankees are bringing a different starting pitcher into the organization.

According to Yuki Yamada, the Yankees are signing Kenta Maeda to a minor-league contract.

Maeda had most recently been in the Chicago Cubs organization. He was released by the Detroit Tigers on May 7 and joined the Cubs a week later, but he didn't stick and didn't make a major league appearance in Chicago.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander was once a star in Japan who the Los Angeles Dodgers signed before the 2016 season. 

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He pitched four strong years with the Dodgers, combining for a 47-35 record and a 3.87 ERA.

Maeda went to the Minnesota Twins from there, and he spent four seasons in Minneapolis. He was healthy for three of the campaigns and totaled an 18-14 record with a 4.02 ERA with the Twins.

The Tigers took a shot on Maeda before the 2024 season, but he had a 6.09 ERA in 29 appearances.

In the early goings of this season, Maeda had a 7.88 ERA exclusively out of Detroit's bullpen before his release.

After signing with the Cubs, Maeda made 12 starts for Triple-A Iowa. In those outings, he had a 5.97 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 57.1 innings.

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It's very possible that Maeda is washed up and won't make any impact for the Yankees.

Now 37 years old, Maeda has been a professional baseball pitcher for almost two decades.

It's a low-risk maneuver for the Yankees. At worst, Maeda draws some fans to games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. At best, he finds a way to contribute innings to the big league club down the stretch.

At basically no cost, it was a chance worth taking in the Bronx.

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