Cubs Sign Free Agent Veteran Pitcher to Deal, Bolster Pitching Depth

The Chicago Cubs have had an outstanding start to the 2025 season, and despite a slight plateau in their success, they still stand at 25-19 atop the National League Central. Their offense has been outstanding, and their pitching has been solid despite missing three starters with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Javier Assad all on the injured list.

One of the few pieces of the team that has not seen as much success is the bullpen, which is about a 50/50 split between having a great year and having a down year. Three of their eight bullpen arms have a five or higher ERA so far this season, which is less than optimal, and while they have not been relied on as heavily as some other arms, there is precedent to add veterans to the mix for the summer matchups. This point stands for the starting rotation as well, however, especially with the injuries sustained early on in the year.

With that, the Cubs have decided to bring in a recently released veteran from the Detroit Tigers to add to the mix, as a low-risk option. Yuki Yamada, the head of Japanese content production for MLB.com, recently reported that Chicago has signed Kenta Maeda to a minor league contract, and he is expected to make a start as soon as next week.

What Does Kenta Maeda Bring to the Chicago Cubs This Season?

So, what does Maeda bring to the fold for the Cubs in 2025? He has been utilized specifically in a relief role this season, making seven appearances; however, his primary role is as a starter, with 172 of his 226 career games being as such. How the team utilizes him will be the intriguing part, as the bullpen has not been spectacular as of yet, but the starting rotation desperately could use some depth as well, so they could stretch out his appearances into a starting gig instead.

He will first have the chance to work on his craft in the farm system however, which is a positive as he has struggled so far this season. In eight innings pitched he has produced a 7.88 ERA, 1.875 WHIP, with eight strikeouts to six walks and one home run allowed. He has produced exceptionally well as a starter as recently as 2020, and was at least serviceable in the 2023 season with the Minnesota Twins.

This signing provides essentially no risk to the team whatsoever, and in the event that Maeda finds his stride again in the minor leagues, they could call him up as a spot starter or long-relief option provided he finds success at either.