Kenta Maeda pitcher (37), formerly of the Yankees 3A, who played for the Dodgers and other teams in the U.S. Major League Baseball, is the most likely candidate to join Rakuten, it was learned on April 20. He has signed a multi-year contract plus piece-rate pay, and is in the final stages of finalizing the details of the deal. The team has announced that it will return to the Japanese baseball world next season, and several teams have been investigating the acquisition of the 165-win Japanese-American right-hander. It is expected that "Rakuten Maeken" will be born as early as this week.

The possibility of Maeda playing in the City of Mori starting next year has increased. According to a comprehensive discussion among baseball insiders, the right-hander's Rakuten hopes of returning to the Japanese baseball world are in the final stages of being considered. The Giants Several teams, including Yakult, were investigating acquiring him, but it appears that Rakuten, which attacked Maeda with the enthusiasm of using him as a "starter," which Maeda is particular about, and the favorable terms of multiple years plus piece-rate pay, will win the battle.

The team finished in fourth place this season, and there were no pitcher who reached the regulation innings pitched mark. The most wins by a starter was Fujii's 109 2/3 innings, and the most wins by a starter was seven by Furukawa, who started the season pitcher for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013, but his wins were limited to two. Norimoto also exercised his overseas FA rights, and it is unclear whether he will be an asset for next season.

GM Ishii has been aggressively working in the off-season to strengthen the starting lineup, a pressing issue: On April 14, he announced a contract agreement with former Rockies and 23-year WBC Dominican Republic representative Roancy Contreras pitcher. Maeken had been working under the radar to acquire him, looking for more upside in the starting lineup. If a contract is officially agreed upon, the addition of the veteran, who boasts 68 wins in the majors, is not only expected to boost the team's strength, but also to serve as a good role model for younger players.

Maeda joined Hiroshima as a first-round draft pick in 2006 as a high school student. He made a name for himself in his second year with the team in 2008, recording nine wins. As the ace of the Red Helmets, he accumulated a total of 97 wins over nine years, winning numerous titles and awards, including two Sawamura Awards and two Most Wins Awards. He transferred to the Dodgers via the posting system in the offseason of 2015, winning 16 games in his first year in the United States and recording double-digit win in 2017 and 2019. He subsequently played for the Twins and The Tigers, and after leaving The Tigers this season, he signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in May and has been playing for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, Scranton, since August.

After the end of this season, he updated his Instagram account entirely in English, announcing, "I have decided to continue my career in Japan starting next season." He is 490 1/3 innings away from his goal of 2,000 innings pitched pitched in the NPB. The stage for the veteran's next challenge is about to be decided as he turns 38 in April next year.

◆ Rakuten 's Battles This Season While lacking a core starting pitcher, the team won close games thanks to a deep reliever corps including Fujihira, Nishiguchi, Suzuki Sho, and Nishigaki, and competed for third place and within the CS zone throughout the season. In the batting lineup, Asamura achieved 2,000 hit in May. Voit, who joined in June, hit a team-high 13 Home Run. The team enjoyed a period of momentum, winning seven straight games in the interleague games in June, but lost six straight games in September, losing momentum at crucial moments. They finished in fourth place for the fourth consecutive year with 67 wins, 74 losses, and two ties, missing out on a CS appearance. Manager Miki, returning to the helm after a five-year absence, was praised for the growth of young players such as Kurokawa and Nakajima, and was reappointed to continue in his position next season.

◆Maeda Kenta (Maeda Kenta) Born April 11, 1988 in Osaka Prefecture. 37 years old. At PL Gakuen, he played in Koshien in the summer of his first year and in the spring of his third year. In 2006, he joined Hiroshima as the first-round pick in the high school draft. He transferred to the Dodgers in the off-season of 2015 and played in MLB until this season. He represented Japan in the 2013 WBC and the 2015 Premier 12. He has won the Sawamura Award twice, most win twice, best ERA three times, most strike out twice, been selected as a Best Nine three times, and received the Golden Glove Award five times. He is 185 cm tall and weighs 84 kg. He throws and bats right-handed.

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