Report: Dodgers agree to deal with Kenta Maeda
A day after inking left-hander Scott Kazmir to a three-year contract, the Los Angeles Dodgers further fortified their rotation. They reached an agreement with Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Details of the contract haven't been released, although the Dodgers will owe a posting fee to the Hiroshima Carp, with whom Maeda's still under contract. Sources tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the "complicated" agreement is for at least five years and includes significant performance bonuses.
The 27-year-old was widely considered to be the best pitcher available in Japan after a 15-8 season with a 2.09 ERA in 29 starts across 206 1/3 innings pitched.
Maeda features a 90-92 miles-per-hour fastball with 4-plus breaking pitches, and can be compared to Jered Weaver and Roy Oswalt in their primes.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
The Japanese hurler provides a Dodgers rotation that's left-handed heavy with a right-handed option.
2016 PROJECTED ROTATION
| PLAYER | IP | ERA | WHIP | SO9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw | 232.2 | 2.13 | 0.88 | 11.6 |
| Kenta Maeda (Japan) | 206.1 | 2.09 | 1.01 | 7.6 |
| Brett Anderson | 180.1 | 3.69 | 1.33 | 5.8 |
| Scott Kazmir | 183 | 3.10 | 1.20 | 7.6 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | DNP |
Maeda posted a 97-67 record with a 2.39 ERA across eight seasons in Japan, and won two Sawamura Awards as the country's top pitcher.