Maeda brings veteran presence to Detroit

Kenta Maeda was just 12 years old the last time the Tigers had a Japanese player on their roster, with Hideo Nomo in their rotation and Masao Kida in the bullpen. More important for Maeda, however, is who’s in Detroit right now and the team’s future, and how he can help build it.

And as the 35-year-old starter prepares to make Detroit his home for the next two seasons following his signing this week, he wants to help the Tigers’ young core develop.

“There's a young core of very talented prospects up and rising,” Maeda said from Japan through interpreter Dai Sekizaki on a Thursday evening call with reporters. “As a pitcher on the opposing team, if I had to choose one team that I would not like to face, it's Detroit. So I'm very glad to be on board here.”

• Tigers add Maeda on 2-year, $24 million deal

Maeda said the Tigers were the first team to reach out to him this offseason and presented what he called an exceptional offer following multiple meetings with his agent, Scott Boras. That interest made an impression, and the multiyear deal offers him a chance to settle into the team and the community, something he wants to do, as well as reaching a goal of 10 years in the Major Leagues.

“Instead of being part of a team and leaving after one season, it's better to stay for multiple years and be an actual member that stays for over a season. That means a lot for me,” Maeda said.

But it also could mean a lot for the Tigers, if he can pass down more of the experience he has picked up over the course of a unique career that began with success in his native Japan at a young age, continued through four years with the Dodgers, then three seasons in Minnesota that included a return this year from Tommy John surgery.

“Over the course of the past eight seasons, there were a lot of ups and downs, but all in all, it's an experience of mine,” Maeda said. “I think all the past experiences that I've pitched in the big leagues, I think the Tigers saw value in what I've done.”

Boras, who also represents young Tigers starters Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning, said he tried to convey that value in discussions with Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris.

“Everyone knows about Kenta the pitcher,” Boras said, “but Kenta's leadership and what he's done to help many of the players and the starters, he has an innateness about him for pitching skill and being able to evaluate the strengths of a teammate and a pitcher and transfer that, encourage him and really get him to focus on his strengths. That's something he really has been great about in his career. In the aspect of what the Tigers are trying to do, clearly we felt that Kenta's veteran-ism would be a real asset to many of the young arms that are there.”

Said Maeda: “If anyone has questions, not just young players, hopefully I have an answer. I love to share my experiences and stories with the unique career that I have from my days playing in Japan. I have lots of routines that I go through, so maybe if the Tigers' young players look and have questions, or [I can] have some sort of positive impact in their performance, that'll be a plus.”

Maeda, in turn, looks forward to learning more about Detroit and the Japanese community in the region. He said his contract included a donation to the Detroit Tigers Foundation, the club’s charitable arm, as a thank you for welcoming him.

“The Tigers not having a Japanese player for so many years, that's not really a huge factor for me,” he said. “But now that I'm here, I think it's a good opportunity for fans in Detroit and fans in Japan to recognize and raise awareness for Detroit and the Tigers. I hope all the fans will get to know the city and get to know the team.”