MLB: Japanese Free Agent Kenta Maeda Visit Dodger Stadium, Signing with Los Angeles Dodgers?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to increase their pitching depth after the departure of Zack Greinke via free agency to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Free agent Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda emerges as a possible target because of reports saying that he visited Dodger Stadium on Christmas Eve.
According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Maeda was at Dodger Stadium last Dec. 24 via a Japanese media source. The Japanese ace has been in the U.S. for the last two weeks to meet with clubs and his posting period expires on Jan. 8, 2016.
But does Maeda fit with the Dodgers? The Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are also interested in Wei-Yin Chen, but he is left-handed just like other Dodger starters Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brett Anderson and Alex Wood. Maeda is right-handed, two years younger than Chen and will not cost the team a draft pick.
The 28-year-old right-hander has won the Japanese Central League Pitcher of the Year in the past two seasons with 15 wins and a 2.09 ERA in the 2015 season. Maeda has an impressive career record of 97-67 in eight seasons in the NBP with 2.39 ERA and 1,233 strikeouts, per Baseball Reference.
Maeda's potential is fit for a middle-of-the-rotation starter, who can give team innings. The Osaka-native does not possess the arms of Japanese power pitchers like Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanaka. However, he has pitched over 200 innings in four out of his eight seasons in Japan.
Innings pitched is considered one of the underrated statistics in baseball in terms of players transitioning from one league to another. As shown by his stats and scouting report, Maeda's workload will not become a problem if he signs with the Dodgers or any other team.
According to MLB Trade Rumors, the estimated contract Maeda will receive is about $60 to $80 million for five years, plus a $20 million posting fee for his NPB club, Hiroshima Toyo Carp. As for Chen, his agent, Scott Boras wants around $100 million, almost the same as what Maeda will cost including his posting fee.
The Dodgers have also expressed interest in left-handed starter Scott Kazmir, as reported by NBC Sports. The free agent market already has already gotten thin with Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija signing with NL West Rivals San Francisco Giants, Mike Leake with the St. Louis Cardinals, David Price with the Boston Red Sox and Jordan Zimmermann with the Detroit Tigers.
Besides the Dodgers, the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Diamondbacks, Giants, Seattle Mariners, Red Sox and New York Yankees are expected to bid for Maeda's posting rights, per Yahoo! Sports.
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