The Case for Kenta Maeda in the Playoffs

Overtime Heroics Editorial

2196 days ago

You can never have enough pitching. This old baseball saying certainly holds true for the 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers. Their starting staff continues to be one of the best in the majors as August winds down. While Clayton Kershaw is still going strong at age 31, two other pitchers have joined elite status this season. Those two men are Walker Buehler and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu is arguably the Cy Young favorite as we enter September. Despite being roughed up his last two starts, he still owns a league-leading 2.35 ERA this season, and a 1.02 WHIP. The flame throwing Buehler has pitched to a 3.03 ERA this season, along with 185 strikeouts in 154 innings. Meanwhile, the steady southpaw Clayton Kershaw has a sub 3.00 ERA like Ryu, and a 13-4 record in his 24 starts.

While all three pitchers have been excellent in 2019, they haven’t done all of the work by themselves. The Dodgers have a fourth starter who would be gaining a lot more coverage if pitching for a different squad. That pitcher is Kenta Maeda. Maeda may be the #4 option on the Dodgers’ staff, but he’s not pitching like a backend rotation piece. As October and playoff baseball looms, Los Angeles will need a fourth starter to give them quality innings against the best lineups of the National League. Thus, there is a case to be made for Kenta Maeda to join the rotation in the playoffs.

Underrated Performer

While he may not get the press coverage equal to the other LA starters, Maeda is throwing the ball quite well this year. This is Kenta’s fourth season in Dodger blue after spending several seasons as a member of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan. His 8-8 record this season won’t jump off the page compared to his peers. However, the other numbers speak to a pitcher who is having a very strong season.

Maeda claims a respectable 4.11 ERA across 138 innings pitched. His 1.10 WHIP actually ranks inside the top 20 amongst qualified MLB starters. While Kenta may not throw upper 90’s, he still manages to strikeout a fair number of batters. In fact, Maeda has 149 Ks this season which is good for more than one per inning. Though the ERA is not spectacular, opponents do not get many hits off of him. Batters have a measly .206 average off Maeda, which is tops on the Dodgers’ staff. Clearly, Kenta Maeda is pitching better than advertised in 2019. How does he fit into the Dodger’s roster come playoff baseball?

Playoff Roles

Image via: https://www.concordmonitor.com

How exactly will Kenta Maeda be utilized once October baseball gets underway? Well, the Dodgers have options. It is unlikely that Los Angeles would use Maeda as a #4 starter in the NLDS. However, if the Dodgers advance, Maeda could serve as a fourth starter in a best-of-7 series. If Los Angeles wants to keep a three person rotation, Maeda may still be used as a multi-inning reliever out of the bullpen. This is a strategy that Los Angeles employed in past years, and even used in the 2018 World Series.

No matter how Kenta Maeda fits into the Dodger’s playoff puzzle, he should not be ignored. The last couple of seasons, Maeda continues to show that he can be effective as a starter, or as a bullpen asset. The eye-popping stats for Kershaw, Ryu, and Buehler may surpass him on paper, but Maeda deserves some credit. Nonetheless, Maeda is having himself a quiet, yet productive season for the defending National League Champions. His postseason role will be revealed in due time. For now, the case for Kenta Maeda must be made.

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