Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Kenta Maeda was born April 11, 1988, in Tadaoka, Osaka, Japan. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Maeda began the 2018 season in the starting rotation. He went 6–7, posted a 3.85 ERA, and averaged over 10 strikeouts per nine innings in his 20 starts. On August 14 he returned to the bullpen and made 19 relief appearances, going 2–3 with two saves while posting a 3.57 ERA. He struck out 26 batters and walked only 3 as a reliever. He finished the season 8–10 with 153 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.81 in 125 1/3 innings over 39 games.

In the 2020 season, he was 6–1 with a 2.70 ERA. He led the major leagues in WHIP (0.750). He finished as the runner-up for the 2020 American League Cy Young Award behind Shane Bieber. 

In the 2021 season, Maeda went 6–5 with a 4.66 ERA.