LAKELAND, Fla. -- Kenta Maeda was flying from Los Angeles to Tampa for the start of spring training a couple of weeks ago when he heard someone attempting to speak heavily accented Japanese in the seat behind him. It turned out to be his former Minnesota Twins teammate, Max Kepler, trying out a Japanese phrase he had picked up.

Kenta Maeda threw two innings in the Tigers' Grapefruit League opener, striking out four batters and validating an offseason of change.