Kenta Maeda (Minnesota), who started his major league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, visited Dodger Stadium after four years. Although now a player on the opposing team, Dodgers fans welcomed Maeda back with applause.
Maeda headed to Dodger Stadium with the away team on the 16th (Korean time). He is on the disabled list with right arm pain, but is accompanying the squad in preparation for his return. Thanks to this, he was able to visit the Dodger Stadium dugout again after 4 years.
Dodgers fans greeted Maeda with a standing ovation. Dodger Stadium welcomed him by preparing a highlight video of Maeda’s Dodgers days.
Minnesota also played an away game at Dodger Stadium last year, but Maeda was out of the squad at this time as he was recovering from elbow surgery. Maeda took off his hat and greeted the Dodgers fans.
Before the 2016 season, Maeda transferred to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Hiroshima Carp of the Japanese professional baseball league. The unique contract conditions drew a lot of attention. The guaranteed amount is only 3 million dollars a year, 1 million dollars signing bonus, and 25 million dollars for 8 years, but incentives of up to 10 million dollars were taken every year. It was a deformed contract with incentives attached to various items, such as whether or not to include the opening roster, the number of starting pitchers, and pitching innings.
In his debut season, he started all 32 games, but starting in his second year, the number of relief pitches increased. In particular, in the playoffs, he did his best in the position the team needed, as he came out as a starting pitcher in only 4 out of 25 games. Thanks to that, he was loved by Dodgers fans a lot 메이저사이트.
However, Maeda could not give up his will to become a starting pitcher. After he finished the 2019 season, he requested a trade from the club. The Dodgers traded Maeda to the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins for Mookie Betts and David Price. It was a win-win trade for the Dodgers and Maeda.
Meanwhile, Maeda is struggling with an average ERA of 9.00, with no wins and four losses in four games this year. He’s on the injured list now, and he’ll start playing catch and will start pitching the mound soon.