MLB Winter Meetings 2015: Japanese Pitcher Kenta Maeda Set to Hit the Market

NASHVILLE – Looking for pitching help at the 2015 MLB Winter Meetings and a player who has dominated in Japan? Look no further than Kenta Maeda, who today officially up for grabs and could be the next sensation from the land of the rising sun.

Maeda was 15-8 with a 2.09 ERA last season pitching for the Hiroshima Carp of the Japan Central League. In eight seasons with Hiroshima he’s 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA.

The 27-year-old Osaka-native has won the Japanese Central League Pitcher of the Year in the past two seasons.

Kenta Maeda officially hits the market today. Giants expected to make a major push. Maeda's friends say he'd prefer the west coast.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 8, 2015

All Major League teams will have 30 days to try and work out a deal with Maeda, and will have to pay the Carp a whopping $20 million release fee.

So what teams (based on Stark’s tweet about wanting to be out west) would be a fit for Maeda? The Diamondbacks, who already made a huge splash with the Zack Greinke to a deal worth over $200 million, are looking for a number two starter, and could take a long look at Maeda.

Other west coast teams like the Angels don’t need pitching, and the A’s can’t really afford a player of that value. Don’t be shocked to hear the Dodgers and Giants having interest, but for now Arizona seems like the landing spot for Maeda.