Kenta Maeda continued to provide excellent value for the Dodgers in 2017. His regular season proved perhaps a tad lackluster (4.22 ERA) However, he fought his way through all the team’s starting pitching competition, as well as some minor struggles, to provide 134 competitive innings for the team. FIP liked him a bit better than ERA did, (4.07) and he gave up a modest 1.154 WHIP. (evidence of his usually excellent control) And at just over 3 million in guaranteed cash, it’s hard to complain about that production. (Although he can earn more based on performance)
Maeda’s greatest value to the team proved to be in the postseason, where he somehow turned into a mini Craig Kimbrell overnight.