Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda was expected to take the mound Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies in a Grapefruit League matchup. However, the veteran pitcher was scratched from his scheduled appearance due to an illness, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch confirmed that Maeda was dealing with a stomach bug that kept him sidelined.

“He’s beat up a little bit; it hasn’t been a great night for him,” Hinch said. “Don’t make me describe it, please.”

While the 35-year-old’s absence was not injury-related, the timing is far from ideal. Maeda is competing for the final spot in the Tigers’ starting rotation and has struggled at times this spring. In four appearances (three starts), he has posted an 0-2 record with a 5.68 ERA. Despite the inflated ERA, he has demonstrated strong strikeout ability, fanning 19 batters over 12 2/3 innings.

Although Maeda was scratched from Saturday’s game, Hinch expects him to resume throwing soon. The plan is for him to throw on a back field by Tuesday, giving him a chance to get back on track before the end of spring training.

Tigers continue to finalize rotation, roster

The Tigers are still finalizing their rotation, with Maeda likely slotting into the No. 5 spot behind Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty, and Reese Olson. With Opening Day approaching, every outing becomes increasingly important, and Maeda will need to prove he can provide stability at the back end of the rotation.

In addition to Maeda’s absence, the Tigers also made a series of roster moves on Saturday, trimming their roster down as camp nears its conclusion. Eight players were reassigned to minor league camp: right-handers Jordan Balazovic and Brendan White, left-handers Dietrich Enns and Matt Gage, infielder Andrew Navigato, outfielders Akil Baddoo and Bligh Madris, and catcher Brian Serven.

Hinch explained that the timing of these cuts was intentional, as the Tigers transition from spring training mode to finalizing their Opening Day roster.

“One of the reasons that we made the cuts today is the last week [of Spring Training] should feel different,” Hinch said. “You should see more recognizable names, you should play a little bit deeper into the game. You should be in a room where you look around and every single person is trying to get on this roster.”

With 41 players remaining in camp, the Tigers will have to make additional cuts before finalizing their 26-man Opening Day roster. While the players reassigned on Saturday may not make the team out of camp, Hinch emphasized that they could still play key roles for Detroit later in the season.

“It’s not a camp anymore; it’s a team,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that somebody that’s not in camp isn’t going to be a major player in the season, but this should feel like a week as a team. That’s the hope.” As the Tigers approach the final stretch of spring training, Maeda’s next opportunity to pitch will be closely monitored, with his health and performance playing a crucial role in shaping the rotation heading into the regular season.