The Chicago Cubs are adding another intriguing pitcher to the organization.

The Cubs are signing veteran Kenta Maeda on a minor-league deal. Yuki Yamada first reported the signing Thursday night and Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed the move before Friday’s game.

“It’s a player we’re signing — he has had success, he’s struggled, he’s on a minor league contract,” Counsell said. “I think it’s player that you got to have constant conversations with and we’ll see where we can maybe make some adjustments, and see where he’s at.”

Maeda, 37, is a Japanese right-hander who came over to the U.S. in 2016 and spent four seasons as a key part of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2016, behind Corey Seager and Trea Turner.

He posted a 3.87 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 137 games (103 starts) with the Dodgers.

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Maeda was then traded to the Minnesota Twins in February 2020 and finished that shortened season as the runner-up in the American League Cy Young race. He racked up 1.6 WAR that year while going 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA, a league-leading 0.75 WHIP and 80 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.

He spent four years in Minnesota before inking a free-agent deal with the Detroit Tigers in November 2023.

Maeda has struggled with the Tigers, sporting a high 6.21 ERA in 36 games (17 starts) over the last two seasons. He had a 7.88 ERA in seven games this season before the Tigers released him earlier this month.

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Maeda has extensive postseason experience, with a 3.24 ERA in 23 relief outings and four starts in the playoffs between his time in Los Angeles and Minnesota.

He will serve as pitching depth for the Cubs, though it remains to be seen if the organization will utilize him as a starter or reliever. He has filled both roles throughout his career, though most of his time has been spent in the rotation and the Cubs have had several key starters go down to injury already this season.

Justin Steele is out for the year with an elbow injury, Javier Assad has yet to throw a big-league pitch this season while hampered with an oblique injury and Shota Imanaga has been on the IL for the last week-and-a-half after suffering a hamstring strain in Milwaukee on May 4.