Veteran pitcher Kenta Maeda is returning to Japan, with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles announcing Wednesday that they have signed the 37-year-old former Los Angeles Dodgers standout.
The deal, reported by Sankei Sports as a two-year contract worth over ¥400 million ($2.6 million), brings the Osaka native back to NPB for the first time in almost a decade. Maeda previously starred for the Central League’s Hiroshima Carp, winning the Sawamura Award as Japan’s top pitcher in 2010 and 2015.
Maeda, who spent last season with the Detroit Tigers and the Triple-A affiliates of the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees, had reportedly drawn interest from several NPB clubs before choosing the Eagles.
