Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda reacts after the final out against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda walks to the dugout after being pulled against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda reacts after the final out against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning during a baseball game, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) 鈥 Kenta Maeda was cut by the Detroit Tigers on Thursday to open a spot in the bullpen for hard-throwing prospect Tyler Owens.
Maeda was designated for assignment after compiling a 7.88 ERA over seven relief appearances in the second season of a $24 million, two-year contract. Detroit has seven days to trade or release him, or send him outright to the minors if he clears waivers.
The 37-year-old right-hander has enough major league service time that he could refuse a minor league assignment and choose to become a free agent instead.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 tough because when he was good, he really helped us, and when he struggled, we really didn鈥檛 get him back on track, so it鈥檚 a frustrating end to his time here,鈥 Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before Thursday night鈥檚 series opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
Owens was recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
鈥淲e do want to create opportunities for the young players and the young pitchers, and we鈥檙e really excited about Tyler and some of the adjustments we asked him to work on at the beginning of the season to get his velocity and execution where it needs to be,鈥 Hinch said.
Maeda went 3-7 with a 6.09 ERA in 29 games last season, including 17 starts. He was demoted to the bullpen after posting a 7.26 ERA in his first 16 starts, but had some success in a relief role with a 4.44 ERA in 46 2/3 innings.
But after failing to win a rotation spot this spring, Maeda, who missed the 2022 season because of Tommy John surgery, struggled in a mop-up role, his velocity down and the command of his splitter spotty.
鈥淲e were pretty excited with how he was throwing, how he was moving, this spring, but when we got into the season, he wasn鈥檛 the same person we saw in the spring or last season, when we moved him to the bullpen,鈥 Hinch said. 鈥淗e tried to tweak a few things, but it wasn鈥檛 producing the stuff coming out of his hand or the results.鈥
Maeda had many of his best seasons in Los Angeles, where he went 47-35 with a 3.87 ERA in 137 games 鈥 including 103 starts 鈥 for the Dodgers from 2016-19.
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Then he was 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts for Minnesota during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, finishing second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.
Owens, whose fastball sits between 96-98 mph, went 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 games for Toledo, striking out 11 and walking nine in 14 innings.
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