RADIO
Kenta Maeda Remains Dependable Number Four Starter
7 years agoIn his second season with the Dodgers, Kenta Maeda pitched so poorly at one point that he was demoted to the bullpen (where he managed to get one save). He’s since returned to the rotation and looks to be the team’s fourth starter in 2018. Despite not having overpowering stuff, he strikes out batters at a good clip (9.38 K/9). The key is his deceptive cutter, which wasn’t fooling anyone at the beginning of the season but was creating whiffs 20% of the time by September. He’ll also need to cut down on the home runs he gives up. He gives up 1.5 per nine innings, which is dangerous in the warm Los Angeles air. Expect more of the same from Maeda this season. He’s good for 27 or so starts and 160 innings, making him a good, if unsexy, late-round pick. Like all pitchers, his success will depend on his ability to stay healthy. The Dodgers offense will provide him with runs and wins, so players in leagues that count them will especially like having Maeda in the back-end of their rotations.
