My elbow doesn’t hurt”
Kenta Maeda of the Minnesota Twins started on the 5th (hereinafter Korean time) in an away match against the 2023 Major League Miami Marlins held at Londipo Park in Miami, Florida, USA. During the innings, he fought back with 3 hits, 9 strikeouts, and 1 run (1 earned run), but he suffered a yoke of defeat as he was not supported by the other line.
This match had a special meaning for Maeda. Because it was the day he returned to the major league mound after 591 days. On August 22, 2021, while facing Giancarlo Stanton against the New York Yankees, Maeda felt an abnormality in his forearm and voluntarily went down the mound.
Maeda was put on the injured list (IL) due to ‘right forearm strain’, but after two examinations, he was put on the operating table and underwent ‘Tommy John surgery’. Maeda said, “I wouldn’t have received it if I was over 40. I would take a year off, but I thought it would increase my career.”
Maeda, who returned to the mound after a long absence, had a maximum velocity of 92.3 miles (approximately 148.5 km), but the content of the pitch was flawless. From the start of the first inning, Maeda cut off a clean start by tying up the top batting line leading to Luis Araez, Jorge Solaire, and Garrett Cooper in a three-way strike.
Maeda scored the first run in the second inning with a solo homer after being attacked by Avisail Garcia on a slider driven into the middle of the strike zone on the 4th pitch with no runners out, but struck out two and ended the inning without any additional runs. And in the 3rd inning, the inning was concluded with a tripartite retreat.
The cruise continued. In the 4th inning, Maeda tied the batting line that led to Cooper-Jazz Chisom Jr.-Garcia. His velocity decreased noticeably with each inning, but Maeda struck out Brian De La Cruz, Jean Segura, and Jacob Starlings in the fifth. And he ended his comeback after giving up a hit to leadoff hitter John Berti in the sixth inning.
According to Japan’s ‘Sponichi Annex’, Maeda, who stood on the mound for the regular season after 1 year and 8 months, said, “It’s unfortunate that I didn’t win, but the pitching content was good, and I’m so happy to be on the mound in the major leagues again. It was a really good day.” revealed
Continuing, Maeda said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the mound, so I was a little nervous and had a different feeling than usual. To be honest, there was no special feeling to catch 9 strikeouts. I didn’t aim and catch it like usual.” , I think it will get better in the future,” he said.
In the scene where Maeda was replaced, the trainer climbed the mound together and seemed to be in trouble again,스포츠토토 but this was not the case. Maeda said, “My elbow doesn’t hurt. I was shaking my arm because it was stiff, but I think I came up because I was worried.” It was a harvest to be on the mound in the first episode,” he explained.
As he returned from his long rehabilitation, baseball became more precious. Maeda expressed his determination to do his best until the day his active life ends. He said, “I spent the past year and a half in rehabilitation. I was able to return to the mound with the help of my family, trainers, outside trainers, and many other people who helped me. I will do it,” he said vigorously.