On top of having what was regarded as a bad offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers were killed with injuries during spring training. However, Kenta Maeda has been a bright spot for the team as he looks to make an impact in his first MLB season after signing an eight-year deal with the Dodgers.
Los Angeles will be without Brett Anderson for three to five months after it was announced he underwent back surgery; Hyun-Jin Ryu was expected to make a return early in 2016 following last year's shoulder surgery, but he's experiencing discomfort in the area and make not debut until after May; Brandon McCarthy won't be back until midseason as he recovers from Tommy John surgery; and Mike Bolsinger won't be ready for Opening Day due to an oblique injury.
None of this is new, but it's always important to enumerate what the Dodgers are dealing with because it's perhaps one of the most disastrous situations in baseball.
But Maeda could be here to save the day. The Japanese right-hander has been the team's best pitcher in spring training and his impact could effectively replace the temporary losses of others. Maeda is 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in five starts (19 innings) in his first MLB spring training.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters this weekend that the right-hander is "as good, if not better, than advertised."
Maeda came over from Japan after an eight-year career with the Hiroshima Carp during which he went 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 1,233 strikeouts in 218 games. Scouts were a bit skeptical of his skills translating to the MLB level, and some have said he profiles as a No. 4 starter, but he's been exceeding expectations thus far.
"The reality is that despite an offseason physical exam that led the club to restructure his eight-year contract, Maeda not only has been the rare Dodger with a clean bill of health, he also has been one of the most maintenance-free members of the roster," writes ESPN's Doug Padilla.
Roberts, a former MLB player, also said Maeda's transition has been "pretty seamless."
With questions surrounding Scott Kazmir's effectiveness heading into 2016, Maeda's consistency and success will be that much more important. Kazmir has dealt with velocity issues this spring and owns a 7.71 ERA in four starts with opponents hitting .389 off him.
Right now it seems as if Clayton Kershaw and Maeda are the only two ready for Opening Day, but that will likely change since spring training is rarely an indicator in terms of how a player will perform during the regular season.
Nonetheless, in preparing for the worst, the Dodgers will need Maeda to continue on his current path to save the Dodgers from untimely injuries and performances from their incumbent pitchers.
