Former Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda announced his retirement from MLB in November, and has officially joined NPB’s Rakuten Eagles on a two-year deal.
Maeda began his MLB career as a Dodger, and had a nine-season career in MLB from 2016-2025, having missed the 2022 season due to injury.
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Maeda signed with the Dodgers as an international free agent ahead of the 2016 season, and immediately made an impact on the big-league squad. He placed third in Rookie of the Year voting that season, posting a 3.