Kenta Maeda (pronounced MAH-eh-da)…resides in Tokyo with his wife, Saho, and daughter…is the eighth Japanese player in Dodger history…signed by the Dodgers as a free agent on January 7, 2016.
2017
Went 13-6 with one save and posted a 4.22 ERA in 29 games (25 starts) in his second season with the Dodgers...Struck out 140 batters against just 34 walks in 134.1 innings, posting a 4.12 strikeout-to-walk ratio...also limited hitters to a .238 average, including holding right-handed batters to a .214 mark...Made his first career stint in the bullpen, going 1-0 with one save and posting a 2.25 ERA (2 ER/8.0 IP) in four appearances... struck out 10 against just one walks, while also limiting the opposition to a .233 average...Collected his first career save in his first career relief appearance on June 9 against the Reds, allowing one run on three hits over 4.0 innings while striking out six...became the first Dodger pitcher since Chan Ho Park (2008) to record a win as a starter, a win as a reliever and a save in the same season...In 14 games (11 starts) at home, he went 8-1 with one save and posted a 2.88 ERA (22 ER/68.2 IP), compared to going 5-5 with a 5.62 ERA (41 ER/65.2 IP) in 15 games (14 starts) on the road...Following the All-Star break, he ranked among National League pitchers (min. 50.0 IP) in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.85, 3rd), opponents' OBP (.270, 6th), WHIP (1.10, 9th), wins (6, T-12th), strikeout per nine innings (10.07, 13th) and opponents' batting average (.225, 14th)...Made his first career stint on the disabled list from May 11-25 with left hamstring tightness...Was a key piece out of the bullpen during the postseason for the Dodgers, going 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA (1 ER/10.2 IP) in nine postseason relief appearances...struck out 10 against just two walks, while holding hitters to a .135 average (5-for-37).
2016
In his first big league season, he went 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA (68 ER/175.2 IP) in 32 starts, while limiting the opposition to a .229 average...Posted the second-most wins ever by a Los Angeles rookie, behind only Rick Sutcliffe (17-10, 1979), and his 16 wins tied for the second most ever in a single-season by a Japanese pitcher, behind only Daisuke Matsuzaka's 18 in 2008 with Boston (18-3)…his 16 wins were the most by a MLB rookie since 2012, when Yu Darvish and Wade Miley both had 16 victories...Ranked among the overall NL leaders in wins (16, T-5th), ERA (3.48, 14th), WHIP (1.14, 10th), strikeouts (179, 12th), strikeout per nine innings (9.17, 7th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.58, 12th), opponents' batting average (.229, 11th), opponents' on-base pct. (.291, 11th) and opponents' slugging pct. (.359, 10th)...Led qualifying MLB rookie starting pitchers in starts (32), wins (16), opponents' batting average (.229), WHIP (1.14), innings pitched (175.2) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.58)..Picked up the win in his MLB debut on April 6 at San Diego, allowing five hits in 6.0 scoreless innings in a 7-0 LA win...at the plate, blasted a solo homer in his second big league at-bat, becoming the first Dodger to homer in his big league debut since shortstop Jose Offerman did so vs. the Montreal Expos on Aug. 19, 1990 and the first Dodger pitcher to homer in his Major League debut since Dan Bankhead vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 26, 1947...Did not allow a run in his first two starts at San Diego and vs. Arizona before surrendering a run in the third inning of his third start on April 17, ending his streak at 14.0 innings to begin his career…Maeda's scoreless streak tied Pedro Astacio (14.0 IP, 1992) for the third longest to begin a career in Los Angeles history, behind only Dave Stewart (18.1 IP, 1978-81) and Bob Welch (15.1 IP, 1978)...Made three postseason starts, going 0-1 wtih a 6.75 ERA (8 ER/10.2 IP).
2015
Led the Japanese Central League with 15 wins with the Hiroshima Carp, going 15-8 with a 2.09 ERA in 29 starts, to win his secondcareer Sawamura Award, given to the league's best pitcher. ... Posted a 1.01 WHIP and holding opposing batters to a .222 average, including a .160 mark against right-handers. ... Allowed just five home runs in 206.1 innings (0.2 HR/9.0 IP). ... Registered a 4.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, striking out 175 against just 41 walks. ... Recognized as the best fielding pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball for the fifth time.
