While one veteran pitcher’s career hits a crossroads, a pitching prospect’s career begins. On Thursday, the Tigers designated veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda for assignment, potentially ending the 37-year-old’s Major League career after nine seasons across three teams.

The Kenta Maeda experiment in Detroit fizzled fast — and now it’s all over. The Tigers designated the veteran right-hander for assignment on Thursday morning, cutting ties with the 37-year-old after a prolonged stretch of underwhelming performance that spanned parts of two seasons and never lived up to its $24 million price tag.

DETROIT -- Veteran pitcher Kenta Maeda was designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The Tigers recalled right-hander Tyler Owens from Triple-A Toledo to take Maeda’s roster spot. If he gets in a game, Owens will be making his big-league debut.