If you are comfortable committing that much money just make the QO. I’m actually in on the QO for Maeda, I’d be comfortable with the one year risk. Starting pitching is generally worth it.
There's a reason the Twins and many others struggle against lefties. It's kinda like ice cream, even when it's bad, it's not that bad.
Now that I think about it, maybe there is value of the hitters spending some time with Kuechel?