Kenta Maeda poses for a photo during his introductory press conference for the Rakuten Eagles at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Sendai on Dec. 16, 2025. (Kyodo)
SENDAI (Kyodo) — Seasoned right-hander Kenta Maeda said he was thrilled to have the chance to pitch in Nippon Professional Baseball again with the Rakuten Eagles, who introduced the former major leaguer at a press conference on Tuesday.
The 37-year-old starred for the Hiroshima Carp between 2007 and 2015 before moving across the Pacific to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers over 10 years in the United States, including three double-digit win seasons.
“The overriding feeling is excitement. I chose the team thinking this would be my last,” Maeda said at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, the Eagles’ home ballpark.
While he spent most of last season in the minors, Maeda revealed he was regaining confidence toward the end of the year.
“That was something that the club (Eagles) also took into account. The biggest thing was them seeing me as a starter, which made me happy,” Maeda said.
He went 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA in 218 NPB games for the Carp, while he went 68-56 in MLB with six saves and a 4.20 ERA in 226 games.
“I learnt the world was big (in MLB). There were many players who were better than me, it was a world where I had to change, challenge myself and develop each year to survive. I went up a level, both as a human being and a baseball player.”
At the Eagles, Maeda will wear his trademark No. 18 shirt which was previously worn by another 37-year-old former big leaguer.
“I was wondering, as there’s this image of Masahiro Tanaka being the Eagles’ No. 18,” he said of the former New York Yankee, currently at the Yomiuri Giants. “I’ll give my all to have people acknowledge me as much as possible.”
Maeda is 35 wins off a benchmark 200 career wins across Japan and the United States.
“I’m still a bit far off, but it’s a number that motivates me,” he said.