The Hiroshima Carp have informed star pitcher Kenta Maeda that they will not be posting him this offseason, according to a report from The Japan Times. It was previously thought that the Carp would hold onto Maeda for next season, but the decision was not official until now.
Kenta Maeda won’t be posted to MLB this year
The right-hander will not be available to major league teams this winter.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The news that Maeda will stay in Japan is surely good for fellow starting pitchers Max Scherzer and James Shields, who remain unsigned and will face less competition on the free agent market. The Diamondbacks were thought to be interested in Maeda, with general manager Dave Stewart publicly praising the right-hander this offseason, but Arizona may now turn to Shields or Scherzer as they look for a high-end starter. If Maeda is posted next offseason, he will presumably be in the midst of a free agent market stocked with No. 2 or better starters, such as Mat Latos, Jordan Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto, and possibly Zack Greinke among others.
Maeda, 26, was 11-9 with a 2.60 ERA in 27 starts for the Carp last season and has established himself as one of the best pitchers in Japan over the past five years. In seven seasons, he has a lifetime 82-59 record with a 2.44 ERA and 3.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
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