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Kenta Maeda is what I call a kitchen sink pitcher – because it will throw the whole kitchen sink at you. On Tuesday night, the veteran right-hander had it all worked out for the Minnesota Twins in their game against the Brewers: fastball, lead, slider, splitter, mixer, waffle maker. Over the course of eight innings, the Brewers looked helpless. Maeda hadn’t given up a shot and had 12 strikeouts. He had induced 26 swings and misfires, a huge total. Of the 76 individual hitters pitched since 1990, only seven have had more than 25 hits and misses. The 26 misfires also rank second in single-game totals of 2020, behind Shane Bieber’s 27.
Alas, on Maeda’s second pitch at the start of the ninth, Eric Sogard hit what former White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson would have called a duck snort down midfield. The little blooper fell just beyond the reach of shortstop Jorge Polanco, who actually went slightly past the ball, reversing his path like Minnesota Fats cashing in an impossible pool shot.
Still, it was a wonderful effort, the last in an early series of them for Maeda. The pitch at Sogard was Maeda’s 115th on the night, the most he has ever pitched in a game in the majors, so his night ended and he then watched the Brewers rally for three points to tie the score, which means Maeda didn’t. get the victory in the best start of his career in the major leagues. The Twins went on to win 4-3 in 12 innings as Byron Buxton scored the winning run from second base on two broken bats. (Yes, kids, sometimes you just need to put the ball into play.)
Maeda is 3-0 in his five starts with a 2.27 ERA and just 14 hits allowed in 31 innings. Among qualified starters, he ranks second in majors in lowest batting average allowed, first in OBP and tied for first in OPS.
The Twins acquired Maeda from the Dodgers in February as part of a deal for Brusdar Graterol, a relief prospect, with two other prospects also trading teams – and the Twins also receiving $ 10 million in cash from the Dodgers. (Maeda was originally part of the Mookie Betts trade as part of a three-team deal, but the Red Sox were concerned about Graterol’s medical care and the Twins and Dodgers reworked the Maeda part of the deal. .)
It was a clever move on the part of the Twins’ front-office duo of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. Maeda is signed until 2023 and the Dodgers, with Dustin May and Julio Urias ready for rotation gigs, were essentially looking to clear salary space for Betts and David Price. Maeda had been a regular performer all four seasons with the Dodgers with a 3.87 ERA, but he was also the pushed starter in the bullpen for the past three playoffs. For the Dodgers, it was consumable. For the Twins, he’s an important part of their plans to end that improbably long 16-game playoff losing streak that dates back to 2004.
Maeda’s contract is a bit complicated as it features a low base salary of just $ 3 million per season (due to red flags in his medical reports when the Dodgers first signed him when he left. Japan), but includes performance bonuses each season based on matches started. and the sleeves launched. Those bonuses can take his paycheck above $ 10 million per season (in normal season), but it’s still a good deal for a solid starter like him. The Twins probably can’t find a guy in the free agent market for the money, but they can afford Maeda.
In addition, they needed rotation assistance. Despite winning 101 games in 2019, the rotation was a mess by the time the playoffs arrived, and inexperienced rookie Randy Dobnak, with just five career starts in the Big League, had to start Game 2 of the AL Series. Division – the Yankees swept the twins out of. The Twins quickly re-signed Jake Odorizzi as free agent, re-signed Michael Pineda, and then added veterans Homer Bailey and Rich Hill. Maeda was the last play and now the Twins have depth behind staff ace Jose Berrios.
Even so, this depth was not sufficient. Pineda is still serving the remainder of a PED suspension, Bailey and Hill each made a start before landing on the IL, and Odorizzi has missed a few starts with back pain. The Twins had to use lifters to fill up as starters. Even with Berrios at the slow start, it worked, mainly because Maeda and Dobnak (4-1, 1.42 ERA) were so dominant. It’s a fun duo as Dobnak is a guy who relies on heavier, weaker contact. Like Maeda, he shows that you can be successful without having to throw 95 mph.
The Twins needed Maeda and Dobnak to step up, as the attack wasn’t as big as it was in 2019, averaging 4.83 carries per game compared to 5.80 last season. Nelson Cruz remains the Eternal Wonder, but every other hitter is underperforming what they did in 2019, with Mitch Garver (0.143, one homer) and Miguel Sano (0.172) particularly struggling. Josh Donaldson, recipient of the biggest free agent contract in franchise history, is expected to help – once he returns from the injured list.
Looking at Maeda’s exit, I think back to 1991, when the Twins brought in another starter, they hoped, would bring stability to the rotation. One year of Jack Morris in Minnesota made him a twin legend. I don’t expect Maeda to throw a full 10 innings game in Game 7 of the World Series, but assuming Berrios gets it right, and Maeda and Dobnak keep throwing like that, these three could be the Twins’ best rotating trio since Morris, Kevin Tapani and Scott Erickson nominated these World Series champions.
I would like to see the ninth inning situation sorted out as Taylor Rogers and Sergio Romo share more narrow duties. The bullpen was actually pretty good overall (fifth in the ERA), with Tyler Duffey having a great scoreless start and a 12-0 go-to-walk ratio in nine innings and Tyler Clippard and Trevor May providing depth. Assuming the offense begins – and that should improve, as the team’s BABIP is just .269 from .300 last season – I like this team better than the 2019 edition thanks to to improved spin and bullpen.
The Dodgers haven’t really given Maeda a chance to start in October. He will have this opportunity with the Twins.
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