Twins and Tigers Interested in Kenta Maeda

[Brock Beauchamp]

Jon Heyman is reporting that the Twins and Tigers are interested in signing Kenta Maeda. He calls Detroit’s interest “serious” while also saying there might be other clubs interested in adding the veteran starting pitcher. 

Will Maeda end up on another AL Central team? 

View full rumor

[TopGunn#22]

I hope so.  Detroit would be great.  

[JD-TWINS]

For $12M or less per year, we should seriously consider giving him 2 years………we trade Polanco to handle the salary. This gives us some leverage with other negotiations for pitching because we have depth with Maeda & Varland. Maeda’s a solid guy that’s comfortable in the Twin Cities ……re-built elbow so his age isn’t really a negative.

Not “needed” to succeed but some added pitching is needed & he seems like a natural fit that’s affordable……..certainly is a viable option.

[Fat Calvin]

I like Maeda.  I like his veteran presence and his veteran finesse.  I think he'd be a perfect fit for this club on a two-year deal. 

[Aerodeliria]

He's only one year recovered from TJ surgery, including a tweaked arm problem in the middle of last season. He'll have a full off-season to strengthen his arm even more, so I think Maeda is well worth the risk. Yeah, I'm biased as well, but this one seems like a no-brainer to me.

[TopGunn#22]

MLB Trade Rumors is projecting Maeda gets a two year $36 million dollar contract.  That's $18 million per.  If I'm supposed to spend that much for a 35 year old pitcher who appears to be breaking down I'd rather spend $20 million on someone younger and with a higher ceiling.  

[Otaknam]

Two years at $18 million per year is waaaay too much for Maeda, IMO, given his age and his return from TJ surgery. I’d rather try to sign Mahle, who is younger but may require a longer contract. So far they’ve gotten almost nothing from the Mahle trade.

[CRF]

Det is reportedly going after Kenta hot and heavy. I think he's going to the Tigers. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

30 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

Two years at $18 million per year is waaaay too much for Maeda, IMO, given his age and his return from TJ surgery. I’d rather try to sign Mahle, who is younger but may require a longer contract. So far they’ve gotten almost nothing from the Mahle trade.

I want Mahle too, but he won’t be anywhere close to ready until the 2nd half at earliest

[stringer bell]

22 minutes ago, CRF said:

Det is reportedly going after Kenta hot and heavy. I think he's going to the Tigers. 

i like Maeda well enough and would like to see him return to the Twins. It seems that the team will have to step up if they want to keep him. 

[DJL44]

If nothing else, the Twins should throw in a decent bid to drive up the price for the Tigers

[FlyingFinn]

3 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

MLB Trade Rumors is projecting Maeda gets a two year $36 million dollar contract.  That's $18 million per. 

At that price, should have put the $20.5 million QO on him.

[TopGunn#22]

I can't disagree with that Finn, but even with the price of pitching expected to be high with so many teams not only looking for one but even two SP, I would NEVER have expected $18 million annually for Maeda.  I would have topped out at $9 or $10.  

This is also "Exhibit A" to the Twins ownership and FO that CUTTING payroll is just a poor and shortsighted move.  In my years as a TV Sales Manager, even COVID-19 never resulted in LOWERING the expected sales budget revenues year to year.  It's not like they won't see ANY TV money this season, they will.  

But if DETROIT is willing to throw 2 yrs and $36 million at Maeda, that should open the eyes of Twins ownership and FO that if they want to defend their divisional title and be a player for the next 5 years, they better re-think this "CUT" in a hurry.  "The Business" is not going to go under if they stretch the budget for 2024.  Attendance will be solid and the TV contract money will get figured out.  

[Stew]

Yes bring back maeda. I think we should see if he will take 13 to 14 million a year. Offer three  years with a club buy out option on the third year. Maybe 5 million. That should be attractive enough to get him back. Then bid heavy on Yamamoto the Japanese pitcher. In the mean time trade our number 3 prospect, Kepler, Polanko, Vasquez and what ever else we need to get Alonso from mets and a cheaper backup catcher. Oh, I should mention make the deal sweet enough for Cohen to pay most of not all of Alonso's 22 million. What does everyone think? Could we pull that off? Why or why not? 

[ashbury]

6 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

MLB Trade Rumors is projecting Maeda gets a two year $36 million dollar contract.  That's $18 million per.  If I'm supposed to spend that much for a 35 year old pitcher who appears to be breaking down I'd rather spend $20 million on someone younger and with a higher ceiling.  

The pitcher with higher ceiling will be offered way more than 2 years.  Too rich for the Twins' blood in that case.

[Dlee]

to my eye Maeda would be the one to try and resign.  i doubt he will get the market value his agent is proposing.

[DJL44]

21 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I can't disagree with that Finn, but even with the price of pitching expected to be high with so many teams not only looking for one but even two SP, I would NEVER have expected $18 million annually for Maeda.  I would have topped out at $9 or $10. 

You haven't been paying attention to the market the past few offseasons then. Bad 5th starters get $10-12M.

[Fatbat]

25 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

You haven't been paying attention to the market the past few offseasons then. Bad 5th starters get $10-12M.

Thats a great reason to develop pitching in the farm system. 

[FlyingFinn]

Maeda apparently signs with the Tigers, 2 years for $24 million. Curious why the Twins didn't match that, if the info is correct.

[SteveLV]

Established MLB Pitching is expensive.  Maeda is a good pitcher, and the Twins will miss him.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

30 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

Maeda apparently signs with the Tigers, 2 years for $24 million. Curious why the Twins didn't match that, if the info is correct.

Seriously, unless Maeda just preferred to move on for some reason. It should have been easy for the Twins to match that or beat it by a mil or two. 

[CRF]

38 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

Maeda apparently signs with the Tigers, 2 years for $24 million. Curious why the Twins didn't match that, if the info is correct.

Yep...Passan says 2 years $24 mil. Disappointing that we didn't match it. 

[mnfireman]

44 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

Maeda apparently signs with the Tigers, 2 years for $24 million. Curious why the Twins didn't match that, if the info is correct.

Bigger signing imminent??

 

[jorgenswest]

They may wait it out. That didn’t work out so well with Lance Lynn though.

Maybe Ryu is their next target. 

[Bradfoot]

Not a bad signing for the Tigers but it is still a decent risk for them.  After all, Maeda is entering his late 30's and has averaged less than 70 innings per season over the last 4 years.  A decent pitcher when healthy but if we are going to trim payroll and still try to be competitive it's understandable to not be excited to tie up 12M on a question mark.

[Jocko87]

55 minutes ago, mnfireman said:

Bigger signing imminent??

 

Maybe not bigger but different.  So far prices seem reasonable and coming in about consensus expectations.  If the price is 12-14m a year and only room for one I'd rather the relative upside of a Flaherty, Wacha or Giolito, depending on who they like.

[Fatbat]

Should have offered Maeda a QO. Hind site…..

[ashbury]

6 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

Should have offered Maeda a QO. Hind site…..

He would have accepted $20+M and tried again in free agency next year.  Or if by some miracle he went ahead and signed for the $24M for 2 years, the draft pick the Twins receive would be well outside of the first round.  Terrible gamble for practically no payoff.

[Fatbat]

3 minutes ago, ashbury said:

He would have accepted $20+M and tried again in free agency next year.  Or if by some miracle he went ahead and signed for the $24M for 2 years, the draft pick the Twins receive would be well outside of the first round.  Terrible gamble for practically no payoff.

Or he would have turned it down and Detroit would have paid him more.  I’d take him at 20.3M ….its not my $$$$

[ashbury]

16 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

.its not my $$$$

That observation is fair at one level, but short-circuits any attempt to discuss why or why didn't the FO take some particular action.