The Detroit Tigers are tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the best record in the American League entering Monday’s action. If you just looked at their record (65-48), you would assume there hasn’t been many things that have gone wrong this season. But there are several obstacles Detroit has had to overcome.
Injuries to Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson forced the Tigers to acquire Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton at the trade deadline. A hamstring injury to outfielder Kerry Carpenter triggered a June swoon that virtually cut their lead in the American League Central in half.
The Tigers also had some poor free agent decisions come back to bite them and one of those found his way to an AL rival as the Tigers prepare for the home stretch.
#前田健太 投手はカブスのマイナー契約を破棄して退団。FAとなり、ヤンキースとマイナー契約で合意しました。※写真は6月撮影
— 山田結軌MLB記者🇺🇸 (@YamadaMLB) August 3, 2025
Breaking: Kenta #Maeda opted out of his deal with the Iowa Cubs. and he will sign a minor league contract with the Yankees, sources confirmed. pic.twitter.com/wylxd1ZqnA
Former Tigers Pitcher Kenta Maeda Signs Minor League Deal with Yankees
According to MLB.com’s Yuki Yamada, former Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda is opting out of his minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs and signing a new deal with the New York Yankees. The interest between the two sides was first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post and will see the 37-year-old join his third organization this season.
Maeda came to Detroit on a two-year, $24 million deal before the 2023 season but he looked over the hill. After getting bounced from the rotation late last season, Maeda was designated for assignment last May, posting a 3-7 record and 6.21 ERA in 120.1 total innings for the Tigers. He signed with the Cubs a few weeks later but is triggering his opt-out clause for another chance to pitch in the big leagues.
After coming over from Japan in 2016, Maeda finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year before spending four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting during the shortened 2020 season but hasn’t reached that level since, going 15-20 with a 5.08 ERA in 331 innings and missing the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Still, the Yankees will be the latest team to chase Maeda’s upside. Gerrit Cole was lost for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring and Clark Schmidt and Ryan Yarbrough joined the injured list as the season progressed. With Carlos Rodón struggling and Marcus Stroman released this week, they’re desperate for arms and could bring Maeda up for the stretch run.
It’s unlikely that Maeda’s revenge could derail the Tigers postseason plans. But it’s something to monitor as he looks to turn a nightmarish 2025 season around.