On the 10th, Rakuten Eagles announced on the team's official website that pitcher Kenta Maeda had made his voluntary training public.

Maeda commented through the team's official website, "I'm excited to be playing for a new team and in Japan for the first time in a while, and I'm approaching the game with a fresher mindset than usual. During the off-season, I've been focusing mainly on getting stronger and increasing my muscle strength, but this year is my first start with a new team, so I'm planning to get ready early for the start of camp on February 1st so that I can be in good condition and perform well. I think the only thing I can do this season is to produce results. I'll pitch a lot for the team, win a lot, and contribute as much as I can to becoming the best in Japan."

Maeda returned to Japanese baseball this season for the first time in 11 years. Last season, he played for The Tigers, pitching in seven games with a record of 0 wins and 0 losses and ERA of 7.88. He has a total of 165 win in Japan and the US.