Kenta Maeda isn't pitching well for the Detroit Tigers so far this season.
The Tigers have used Maeda almost exclusively when the game is late and out of reach, whether they're winning or losing, to limit any potential damage the 37-year-old veteran can allow. And it makes sense, since Maeda currently has a 7.88 ERA over eight innings in six appearances, all out of the bullpen.
As far as leverage goes, Maeda is likely the lowest-leverage pitcher on the team's active roster.
So when Maeda pitched his cleanest inning on April 29 against the Astros , it may have come as a surprise to Tigers fans. He allowed zero hits, zero runs and zero walks while striking out one batter in the eighth inning with the Tigers down by four runs, giving the Tigers a chance to complete a comeback in the ninth inning.
THE GAME: Detroit Tigers' rally falls short after getting tagged by Houston Astros late in 6-4 loss
But even though it was his cleanest inning, it wasn't exactly a clean inning. With two outs and Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña up to bat with the count at 2-1, Maeda threw what some on social media are calling the worst pitch of the season.
And then he hit Peña with the very next pitch:
Maeda's 2-1 pitch was so out of line that it didn't even register on the official Statcast pitch chart.
Although he was clearly a little frustrated, Maeda couldn't help but smirk when he got the ball back on the mound. Then, his 3-1 pitch directly hit Peña's elbow, sending the shortstop to first base.
It was the only baserunner Maeda allowed in his outing, as he finished the inning by striking out Jose Altuve on a nine-pitch sequence.
The Tigers then lost the game 6-4 after their comeback attempt fell short in the ninth, but Maeda's pitch is the moment everyone can't stop talking about.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kenta Maeda threw a pitch so bad for Tigers it wasn't even tracked
