Like clockwork, when Dodgers‘ boss Andrew Friedman speaks to reporters during his end-of-season press conferences every year, he reiterates that righty swing man Kenta Maeda will be an integral part of the club’s starting rotation at the onset of the following season.
This year was no exception.
Despite his value as a starter, though, the 31-year-old native of Japan just keeps getting better when he throws in relief. When considering the wave of young starting pitchers the Dodgers have emerging, the time to shift Kenta exclusively to the bullpen may be very soon.