Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda on Thursday vowed to pay back his new club after signing a two-year contract out of free agency.
"It's pleasing they wanted me to help the team," Maeda said during an online news conference. "I want to give all I have for the Tigers in any situation."
The 35-year-old moved from the Hiroshima Carp to the U.S. majors via the posting system in 2016, signing an eight-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2020, before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021.
The Osaka Prefecture native had a 6-8 record with a 4.23 ERA in 21 games this year as the Twins won the American League Central, while he is 65-49 with a 3.92 ERA in 190 games, 155 of them starts, in his major league career.
"I felt they (Detroit) watched what I've done at the Twins and rated me highly. I want to be a world champion," Maeda said.