RADIO
Kenta Maeda 2020 Outlook: A Rotation Spot Determines His Value
5 years agoStarting pitcher Kenta Maeda had a successful season and the future might be even brighter with a trade that sent him to the Minnesota Twins. Maeda started 2019 in the rotation, but he was moved to the bullpen in September. The timing of the move is questionable, but the Dodgers have always played musical rotation spots with their starters. On the whole, Maeda finished the year with a 4.04 ERA (3.95 FIP) and a 27.1% K-rate, buoyed by a 33.9% strikeout rate in the bullpen. He also adjusted his repertoire usage during 2019. Maeda threw his four-seam fastball (37.4%) less often than previous seasons, preferring the slider (30.8%) and change-up (23.8%) more than usual. The move to the bullpen led to “slider city” as Maeda slung it nearly 60% of the time. The end result was a career-best Chase (34.8%) and Swinging Strike (14.6%) rates in 2019. Maeda will start 2020 in the Twins rotation and his consistent velocity (92 mph) provides reassurance of a repeat performance. Maeda also benefits from wonderful offensive support. With a dedicated spot in the rotation, Maeda's value will skyrocket making his current 196 ADP a bargain while you can still get it.
