Maeda tossed two scoreless innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He didn't allow a hit or a walk and struck out four.

EDGE Analysis

Making his first spring training appearance, Maeda looked comfortable in a starting role, as he breezed through the first two innings of the game. The veteran righty has displayed increased velocity in camp, and that translated into four strikeouts among the six batters he retired. Maeda struggled mightily in 2024, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA across 112.1 regular-season innings, but a bounceback campaign is possible in 2025. With Alex Cobb (hip) unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, Maeda may have a path to some starts in the early going.

Maeda was throwing 92 mph during a live batting practice session Tuesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's up from the 90.8 mph he averaged with his four-seamer last season and significantly more velocity than he was showing during spring training last year. With Alex Cobb (hip) slated to begin the season on the injured list, Maeda has a chance to make the Tigers' rotation out of spring training. That said, after collecting a 6.09 ERA over 17 starts and 12 relief appearances last season, Maeda has a lot to prove this spring. He will start Detroit's Grapefruit League opener Saturday.

With Alex Cobb (hip) likely out for about a month, Maeda could be at least a temporary option to slide into the starting rotation, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cobb's injury figures to prevent him from being able to ramp up properly for Opening Day, so the Tigers will have to fill his rotation spot for at least a turn or two. Detroit has Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and Jack Flaherty locked in as starters, and the team could turn to the likes of Maeda, Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize to round things out. Maeda is a veteran option with plenty of MLB starts under his belt, so he could probably make the transition fairly quickly after pitching in relief to wrap up last season. The righty struggled in 2024, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA, which ultimately prompted the move out of the rotation. If Maeda starts early in 2025, fantasy managers may want to take a wait-and-see approach given his rough performance a year ago.

Maeda may get another shot at a rotation spot this year, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, though Detroit's addition of Jack Flaherty could push the former into the bullpen.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda was brought over to Detroit before last season to start games, but he struggled mightily in his first year with the team, posting an ugly 6.09 ERA across 29 appearances (17 starts). The veteran righty did fare a bit better as a reliever, posting a 4.44 ERA out of the bullpen. Maeda stood to potentially get another chance at starting in 2025, though with Jack Flaherty joining the team Sunday, the rotation suddenly looks a bit more crowded. Flaherty, Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and veteran newcomer Alex Cobb should all be locked into rotation spots. That leaves Maeda competing with Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize for the No. 5 starter spot with Keider Montero and Brant Hurter as longer-shot candidates. The one thing working in Maeda's favor is that he is owed $10 million this season and Detroit may look to give him one last shot as a starter.

Maeda (3-7) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs on five hits and one walk over 4.2 innings against the White Sox. He struck out five.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda, who also hit a batter, struggled in his first start since early July, allowing five runs including a three-run homer by Lenyn Sosa. Maeda finished the regular season with 17 starts among 29 appearances, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, though he compiled a 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 through 42 innings out of the pen. As the Tigers prepare for a Wild Card matchup with the Astros, Maeda will revert back into a bullpen role.

Maeda is starting Sunday against the White Sox.

EDGE Analysis

This will be Maeda's first start since July 9. He has been much better out of the bullpen (3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) than in the rotation (7.26 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) this season, but the Tigers will look to him to eat some innings on the final day of the regular season.

Maeda allowed three runs on two hits and a walk across two innings of relief in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles. He struck out two.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda was not charged with the loss, as Detroit already trailed 1-0 when he entered the game, but he didn't help his team's cause, either. The veteran righty has struggled all season, and his ERA now sits at an unsightly 6.07 after Saturday's poor performance. Maeda did come into the contest having logged 3.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but before that, he gave up eight runs (six earned) in his previous 9.1 innings. He's been much too volatile to trust in fantasy, and it remains to be seen what his role will be in 2025.

Maeda struck out one over 1.2 perfect innings out of the bullpen in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a rotation spot over the past two months while frequently operating as a bulk reliever. However, the right-hander was deployed in middle relief Thursday, with starter Casey Mize working five-plus innings before Maeda entered the game with one out and a runner on first base in the bottom the sixth inning. With Mize back in action following a recent stint on the 60-day injured list and with Brant Hurter and Ty Madden looking to have secured back-end spots in the Detroit rotation, Maeda appears poised to be used as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.

Maeda (3-6) allowed two unearned runs on four hits across 4.1 innings of relief to earn the win in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Angels. He walked two and struck out five.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda followed opener Mason Englert, who worked the first two innings of the game. Maeda mostly pitched well, with his only major blemish a home run by Mickey Moniak in the sixth inning following a Trey Sweeney error. The veteran righty allowed six earned runs over five innings in his last appearance, and he has an ugly 6.14 ERA overall this season, so Wednesday's effort was a pleasant surprise. It will take more sustained success for fantasy managers to trust Maeda, however, and he remains a risky option despite the step in the right direction.

Maeda is expected to be used as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Mason Englert in Wednesday's game against the Angels, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Maeda hasn't made a start since July 9, but he's essentially maintained a spot in the rotation since the All-Star break while working as a bulk reliever. He's turned in a 4.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 26:2 K:BB over 29.2 innings across his seven relief appearances, with his ERA inflated by a rough showing this past Thursday against the Cubs in which he coughed up six runs across five frames. After Wednesday's appearance, Maeda could move into more a flexible multi-inning role out of the bullpen with the Tigers having recently added Triple-A Toledo call-up Ty Madden to the rotation. Additionally, Casey Mize (hamstring) appears poised to return from the 60-day injured list this weekend to give the Tigers another rotation option.