“It seems that I have returned to the Kenta Maeda that everyone knows.”
Kenta Maeda (35, Minnesota Twins) returned from a two-month hiatus and became the winning pitcher. On the 24th (hereinafter Korean time), he started in an away game against the Detroit Tigers in the 2023 Major League Baseball held at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, USA, and gave up no runs with 3 hits, 8 strikeouts and 2 walks in 5 innings.안전놀이터
Maeda reached the final season with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 8 years and up to $25 million. You can enter the 2023-2024 FA market. So this season is important, but I took two months off due to an injury. On April 27, against the New York Yankees, he was diagnosed with a right arm triceps injury after allowing 10 runs on 11 hits, 2 strikeouts and 2 strikeouts in 3 innings against the New York Yankees.
The first win of the season and 60 wins in his personal career seemed too far away. His 59th career win was before the Tampa Bay Rays on August 15, 2021 (6 innings, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, no runs). After undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of August of that year and missing the 2022 season, it was a very earnest win for Maeda. It’s a win after 1 year and 10 months.
In the meantime, as another two months were lost due to an injury, it seems that his confidence has declined. Maeda told MLB.com, “I am really happy with my first win. It has a really important meaning. I feel like I’ve returned to Kenta Maeda, who mentally knows everyone. From now on, I think I can run around. This victory gives me strength.”
He also made an honest confession. Maeda said, “Can I do well? Can I throw with a healthy body? Rather than doubt, there was uncertainty.” Considering that rehabilitation is mentally as well as physically demanding, this 60th win means a lot to Maeda.
Anyway, Maeda’s multiplier clock started to run again after two years. If you know it, it is the 8th most wins in the history of Asian major leaguers. Although it is slow, it seems to be chasing Ryu Hyun-jin, who has 75 wins. Ryu Hyun-jin is also closed due to Tommy John surgery and rehabilitation, so her multiplier clock has stopped for a while. For the 35-year-old Maeda, the closing of this contract is very important as he is nearing the end of his career.
▲ Top 10 Asian major leaguers with the most wins
Park Chan-ho/Korea/124-98/ERA 4.36/1993 innings
Hideo Nomo/Japan/123-109/average ERA 4.24/1976⅓innings
Darvish Yu/Japan/100-81/average ERA 3.57/1568 innings (active)
Hideki Kuroda/Japan/79-79/ERA 3.45/1319 innings
Masahiro Tanaka/Japan/78-46/average ERA 3.74/1054⅓ innings (active, Japan)
Ryu Hyun-jin/Korea/75 Win 45 / ERA 3.27 / 1003⅓ innings (active)
Jianming Wang / Chinese Taipei / 68 wins / 34 losses / ERA 4.36 / 845⅔ innings
Hisashi Iwakuma / Japan / 63 wins 39 / innings / ERA 3.42 / 883⅔ innings
Kenta Maeda / Japan / 60-45/ERA 3.95/783 innings (active)
Chen Wein/Taiwan/59-51/ERA 4.18/1064⅔innings
The content of the pitch was also good. He struck out Kerry Carpenter on a swing with a splitter in the 1st inning safely on 1st and 2nd base. For Javier Baez, he induced a shortstop double hit with a two-seam toward the body of the first pitch. With three runs on his back in the second inning, he struck out Nick Marton, Matt Bearing, and Miguel Cabrera one after another with a slider and splitter combination. After two outs in the third inning, he sent a runner out due to an error, but struck out Spencer Torkelson with a four-seam at 91 mph on a swing. In the 4th inning, the three-way offense.
Maeda threw a slider to Cabrera in the 5th inning and got a left-handed hit, and after two outs, Jake Rogers walked on base. However, he struck out Jack McKinstry again on a swing with a splitter and finished the day. Thoroughly, he showed off his strength with a splitter and slider-oriented pitching.