Jed Hoyer continues hilarious trend with latest Cubs' roster move

I'm going to take you behind the fourth wall to begin with this, but whenever there is a veteran pitcher reject who is cast to the side by his former team, the running joke at Cubbies Crib is that the veteran pitcher will soon find his way into the Cubs' organization.

When Kenta Maeda was designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers at the beginning of May, there was no doubt in my mind that Jed Hoyer's spidey senses were tingling. Two weeks later, Maeda is joining the Cubs' organization on a minor-league deal.

The numbers on Maeda haven't been great since he signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Tigers prior to the 2024 season. In a tick over 112 innings pitched last year with the Tigers, Maeda posted a 6.09 ERA with a considerable decline in his ability to miss bats. Maeda's strikeout percentage fell to 19.8% last season after posting a 27.3% mark with the Minnesota Twins in 2023.

This season hasn't been any better for Maeda, posting a 7.88 ERA through 8 innings of work before being released by the Tigers.

Cubs fans may not like it, but this is the type of move that Hoyer's front office loves to make during the early months of the season. We've seen it already with the trades for Drew Pomeranz and Tom Cosgrove. If the Cubs feel they can fix a broken veteran pitcher, and they can grab him on the cheap, they will do so. To the Cubs' credit, the early returns on Pomeranz have been great as the veteran lefty has yet to let up a run in nine innings of work out of the bullpen. Perhaps, down the road, the Cubs are hoping for a similar turnaround for Maeda.

Maeda will likely report to Triple-A Iowa within the coming days, and depending on injuries, there is a chance we see the veteran make an appearance at Wrigley Field before the end of the season. For now, we will just be sitting here waiting for the next veteran castoff to join the organization.