Breaking MLB News: Yankees Sign Former Cy Young Runner-Up

The New York Yankees failed to add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, which, to be fair, most teams fell short in as well. They did get Luis Gil back in the rotation, and now, they've signed a nine-year MLB veteran, and former Cy Young Award runner-up, Kenta Maeda.

Yankees announce they have signed RHP Kenta Maeda to a Minor League deal.

Maeda has been assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. pic.twitter.com/ub3RAzdH1h
— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2025

It's a minor league deal for the former Minnesota Twins ace, and he'll start his Yankees journey at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Maeda started the 2025 season working out of the bullpen for the Detroit Tigers, but struggled mightily to a 7.88 ERA in seven appearances. He's been DFA'd and released twice this year.

The 37-year-old Japanese right-hander had a standout first four seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he posted a 3.87 ERA from 2016 through 2019.

He then landed with the Minnesota Twins and finished 2nd in the Cy Young balloting in 2020, posting a 6-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA and a major league-best 0.75 WHIP. With an 80:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio, he had 10.8 K/9.

He's never been able to recapture that magic though, and Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2022 season. He had a 6.09 ERA for Detroit in 2024 in a swing role. This season, the Tigers DFA'd him on May 1st and released him a week later. He signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs, but after a 5.97 ERA in 12 starts at Triple-A he was released again, on August 2.

Now, two days later, the Yankees are hoping they can unlock what Maeda can do. He has a career 4.20 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 9.6 K/9.

Maeda is also third all-time for Japanese-born pitchers with 1,055 career MLB strikeouts.