Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda announced on social media that he is going to resume his playing career in Japan for the 2026 season.
The right-hander began his professional career with Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he established himself as one of the best pitchers in the country.
Maeda went 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 1,509.2 innings across 218 appearances (217 starts) during his stint with Hiroshima.
He was posted to all 30 MLB teams at the end of the 2015 season before going on to sign an eight-year, $25 million contract with the Dodgers.
Maeda had a memorable MLB debut as he tossed six scoreless innings against the San Diego Padres and even helped his own cause by hitting a home run off Andrew Cashner.
Maeda spent four seasons with the Dodgers before he was sent to the Minnesota Twins in 2020 as part of the trade that netted Brusdar Graterol.
Maeda found immediate success with the Twins as he finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting that year. The 37-year-old returned to Dodger Stadium for the first time as a visiting player during the 2023 season.
Maeda’s most recent MLB action came with the Detroit Tigers in 2025. He was designated for assignment in May and went on to have brief stints with the Chicago Cubs’ and New York Yankees’ Triple-A affiliates.
Kenta Maeda’s stats with Dodgers
In parts of four seasons with the Dodgers, Maeda went 47-35 with a 3.87 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.15 WHIP and 9.8 strikeouts per nine in 589 innings across 173 games (139 starts).
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