Maeda threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his spring debut in Thursday's loss to Tampa Bay. Maeda worked on his curveball, which he hopes to use more this season. "I don't think the curveball's going to be my payoff pitch with two strikes, but concentrating on the command, I'd like it to be a pitch that I can control to get strikes consistently," Maeda told MLB.com.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda threw his curveball 3.4 percent of the time last season, so he's likely trying to add something extra rather than revamp his approach. It's hard to find much to improve after he went 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA and finishing runner up in the AL Cy Young award voting last season. The only question is whether he can remain as effective while holding up over a full season after his innings were limited in 2017-19 with the Dodgers.