March 26th, 2018 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Fans watching Sunday night’s spring training Freeway Series opener between the Dodgers and Angels at Angel Stadium got to witness exactly why Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi spent $20 million in posting fees to acquire soon-to-be 30-year-old (on April 11) right-hander Kenta Maeda from the Hiroshima Carp on January 7, 2016 – this in addition to the guaranteed $25 million and potential $65.2 million in incentive bonuses that they will pay him through the 2024 season.
Although the 6′-1″ / 175-pound Senboku-gun, Japan native allowed two solo home runs, including a monster blast to monster-blast-hitting Angels center fielder Mike Trout that cleared the center field wall by a good 20+ feet, he allowed only those two runs on four hits, while striking out five and walking none during his 5.0 innings of work in his final outing of spring training.
But fans watching the game also witnessed Maeda make several outstanding defensive plays on Sunday night, prompting one die-hard Dodger fan watching from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada to post this on Twitter:
What Gail didn’t realize at the time – and let’s face it, who did? – is that she is spot-on in her assessment of Maeda’s defensive skills.
As it turns out, the popular Dodgers right-hander and chronic practical joker (usually at the expense of his mild-mannered interpreter Will Ireton) not only won four Gold Gloves while pitching in the Nippon Professional Baseball league (NPB), but did so in consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2015.
After making a great play on a line-drive comebacker off of his glove in the bottom of the third inning off the bat of Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons on Sunday night, Maeda teamed up with 2017 NL Rookie of the Year first baseman Cody Bellinger to make an absolutely brilliant 3-1 putout of Angels third baseman Ian Kinsler two batters later to end the inning.
Bellinger and Maeda teamed up for this highlight-reel-play to get Angels third baseman Ian Kinsler to end the third inning of Sunday night’s Freeway Series opener at Angel Stadium. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
As you might expect, Maeda and Bellinger acknowledged each other’s outstanding glove and footwork while returning to the dugout, which pretty much showed their appreciation of one towards the other. And while Sunday night’s game will have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on who will ultimately win the 2018 NL Gold Gloves at first base and pitcher, it most certainly opened the eyes of some of those who will ultimately vote on who does win those respective awards in 2018 – several of whom were sitting in the Angel Stadium press box or watching the game on television.
Maeda and Bellinger share a moment after their respective Gold-Glove-worthy plays on Sunday night.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Good call, Gail.
Posted in 
Maeda made a very difficult play look so routine AND his aggressive pitching approach is fun to watch. One of the best change-ups I have seen in a long time. Dodgers need to find a different pitcher to setup for Jansen as Maeda will be a SP in post season.
I’m looking forward to seeing Maeda returning to the starting rotation. It seemed to me that he had more velocity as a reliever. I’m hoping he can pitch deeper in games using the same velocity he was successful with out of the ‘Pen. It’s hard to believe that the Dodgers’ fine rotation has only one right handed pitcher.
Not to worry about RH pitching with Stripling, Stewart, and Buehler ready now when needed; then White, Santana, and Sborz perhaps as early as this season; and, May, Alvarez a little further away. Only LH’er that is close is Ferguson unless Dodgers get Henry Owens straightened out.