The 37-year-old right-hander is heading home after a nine-season MLB career, calling his time in the U.S. “a dream come true.”
TOKYO — After nearly a decade on the mound in Major League Baseball, Kenta Maeda is heading home. The 37-year-old right-hander announced on Thursday that he is closing the chapter on his MLB career and will return to Japan to continue pitching professionally next season.
Maeda shared the news in a heartfelt message on Instagram, reflecting on a journey that spanned nine seasons and three major league teams.
“Playing baseball in the United States from 2016 to 2025 has been a dream come true and a decade full of unforgettable moments for which I’m deeply grateful,” Maeda wrote. He went on to thank the teammates, coaches, and fans who supported him. “Winning a division title, celebrating with champagne, competing in the postseason, and reaching the World Series—those memories will stay with me forever.”
A Career of Consistency and Adaptability
Maeda’s MLB career began with four key seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he was a critical piece of a team that reached back-to-back World Series in 2017 and 2018. While the team fell short of a title, Maeda shined in the postseason, particularly in the 2017 Fall Classic, where he tossed 5 2/3 dominant relief innings, allowing just one run.
After being traded to the Minnesota Twins, he had his best season in 2020, finishing as the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award.
He ends his MLB career with a 68-56 record, a 4.20 ERA, and 1,055 strikeouts in 172 starts, a model of consistency and deception.
A Difficult Final Season
Maeda’s final MLB stop came with the Detroit Tigers on a two-year, $24 million deal. After an uneven 2024, his 2025 season proved challenging. He struggled over seven relief outings to start the year and was designated for assignment by the Tigers in May.
His willingness to keep grinding, however, was a testament to his professionalism. He signed minor-league deals with both the Chicago Cubs and, later, the New York Yankees, though he did not make it back to a big-league mound.
Maeda now returns to Nippon Professional Baseball, where he was already a superstar before his MLB debut. He leaves behind an MLB legacy of grit, adaptability, and quiet excellence, earning the respect of fans on both sides of the Pacific.
