MLB New York Yankees

Kenta Maeda Should Strongly Consider Signing With New York Yankees

Fresh Videos

By @adammcgill83twitter.com

Kenta Maeda

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

After signing an extremely lucrative seven-year, $155 million contract with the New York Yankees last year, Masahiro Tanaka has once again opened the door for Japanese imports to see big money in the MLB. There are several players trying to make the trip across Pacific Ocean, but the one player garnishing the most attention is SP Kenta Maeda of the Hiroshima Carp.

Maeda has been nearly as dominant in Japan as Tanaka. The right-hander has a career 2.41 ERA and 1.05  WHIP in Japan to go along with 7.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. His stat line may not be as eye-catching as the numbers that Tanaka put together before coming over, but Maeda wasn’t far off.

The youngster has a fastball that lives in the low-90s. He can dial up to 93 at times, but it will likely average 91 or 92 on the radar gun. His secondary pitches are less than stellar, but he can do enough with them to make his fastball seem faster. He projects to be a third or fourth starter at the major league level.

Of all the teams considering adding the international sensation, the most obvious team would be the Yankees. The team’s rotation is filled with question marks and could use some new blood.

Supposed staff ace, C.C. Sabthia, had a season marred with injuries in 2014 and ended up posting a career-high 5.28 ERA. Starter Ivan Nova also dealt with a nagging elbow injury last season and will need a strong spring to regain confidence within the organization.

Brandon McCarthy pitched very well down the stretch after coming over from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he is a free agent and may not return to the team at all.

Even Tanaka himself will come into the season with question marks. He put up Cy Young numbers when he was on the mound (13-5, 2.77 ERA, 1.06 WHIP), but he still spent months on the disabled list with a torn UCL in his throwing elbow. It remains to be seen if Tanaka will be able to pitch at all this season or if he will have to season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Making a serious bid on Maeda would not only add another arm, but it would also shore up a very thin pitching staff. There is no question that the Yankees can afford to offer Maeda a nice contract, along witht he posting fees, so don’t be surprised for the pinstripes to land yet another international starter to their rotation this winter.

 

Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on