Kenta Maeda made 25 starts for the Dodgers in 2017, his second season in the majors. But it was a switch to the bullpen that saw him reach new heights.
After a shaky start in the rotation and a brief demotion to the bullpen in June, Maeda had an 11-start stretch, from June 18 to Aug. 25, with a 2.70 ERA, going 8-2 during that span. But it was a switch in roles that saw Maeda make a huge impact in October.
Maeda’s fastball and slider played up during his short stints in relief, and he posted an 0.