What Will Kenta Maeda's Role Be in 2023? What Should It Be?

9 hours ago, Brandon said:

Maeda is a starter at the beginning of the season. No doubt there.  I can see limiting him to 80 pitches per start through May then 90 for the next month or two and 100 or just let loose after that.  I can also see the Twins putting him in the pen in August to finish the season.  

As far as starting pitching goes we actually don’t need to add unless we are adding a top end starter.  We have: 1. Gray, 2. Mahle, 3. Ryan, 4. Maeda, 5. Ober, 6 Winder, 7. SWR, 8. Varland, 9. Balazovich if he gets his act together next season.  This seems like a lot of options and I am sure more will show up the second half of the season.  

Like they all showed up the second half of this season?

An old dude on another team came back from IJ and did pretty good. Pitched almost 200 innings when his season was finally over, picked up some hardware. In other words he returned to what he was. The problem for Marea becomes what is his recovery?  Is he really the 2020 pitcher or the spot starter he was with the Dodgers?  Time will tell

I’m actually way more worried about Mahle than Maeda; Kenta has had his surgery.

Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but in terms of innings pitched in 2023, there is a strong chance Maeda>Mahle.

Winder, Varland and SWR need their chance this year. And they will get it. But none of those young guys is an every fifth day guy looking at 30+ starts. In fact, only Gray and Ryan out of our pencilled in starting five (with Mahle, Maeda and Ober) could be expected to play that role and Gray really doesn’t have the history.

Therefore, 1. Maeda is absolutely a starter until a) the rotation proves it’s durability and/or b) Kenta doesn’t perform; and 2. the Twins absolutely need to add a durable, inning eating #2-4 SP.

I tend to agree with the growing consensus that Maeda is a starter unless we go out and get someone like Rodon. I do think Maeda would be excellent in a 2+ inning relief role and that the Twins have a real need to have 2 of those guys in the bullpen that get regular use (not just mop up/long relief guys for when the starter gets shelled) because we have several starters that are unlikely to go 6-7 innings with any consistency (primarily through their own ability or lack thereof). Maeda could fill that role very effectively.

But unless we go get another starter, I think you have to give Maeda the opportunity to take a role in the rotation. He's likely still better than Winder/Varland/SWR right now and the opening day rotation should have the best 5 guys in it. No scholarships. (I'm still of the belief that unless we get someone like Rodon who raises the ceiling for the rotation, that we shouldn't be looking to add a "veteran starter". No more Bundy types)

11 hours ago, DocBauer said:

Point of reference, unless I missed someone else doing the same, his $9M is based on incentives to be garnered as a SP. IF he's targeted for the pen...and I don't believe that is the plan at this time...and the Twins want to make him happy in his new role, they would have to adjust his incentives to something like appearances.

The guy deserves to be paid & the Twins making him a starter so they don’t feel guilty doesn’t make sense. Gotta settle the finances so he’s not pissed off all year but he should start in the pen to see what that can do for the Team. If they need to stretch him out they could over June/July with Archer approach to pitches.

Need him healthy & contributing. Seems a slow path back and filling a need makes sense.

We are all just guessing at this point.  Until Maeda toes the rubber and gets some work in ST, we do not know what his future will be and his role on the staff.  And comparing him to Verlander is huge stretch.  Verlander has been the prototypical workhorse for a long, long career.  Maeda, whom I do like and admire, not so much.

I hope he does brilliantly.  Lack of SP slots is a problem that pitching staff health will sort out.

21 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Kenta Maeda would be best served to ease his way back through multiple inning stints in the bullpen. I hope he is used that way in the beginning of the year. However, Maeda will get his shot because the Twins need someone to start games. If Maeda displays the strength and command, he will get a ton of starts.

Gray has been a fair starting pitcher but he has struggled to get past the 5th inning in the last three years. Mahle has had one decent year. Ryan had a good first year as a starter.  I'm hoping the Twins give one starting pitching slot to Varland, Ober, or Winder. The Twins need starting pitching. A rotation of Gray, Mahle, Maeda, Ryan, and Ober won't cut it.

Completely agreed!! We need depth in the pen to help us get a psyche that our pen will hold leads/opportunities, Maeda can help make that happen, vs. crossing our fingers for Lopez! Maeda can stretch out in June/July if needed.

Gotta get a front line starter to go with the 4-5 guys we have coming back. Gray-Mahle-Ryan-Ober are a fairly solid 2-5.

Maeda supplementing starters in August, if needed, works.