DENVER >> One game at a time, Kenta Maeda is forcing his way out of every category he found himself in when he signed an eight-year contract with the Dodgers in January.
Pitcher Scott Kazmir has a higher guaranteed salary this year, but Maeda has overshadowed him and every other free agent the Dodgers signed.
Four other pitchers made the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation, but with a few exceptions their performances have been dwarfed by the Japanese rookie. Maeda lowered his earned-run average to 0.36 by throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.