SHOCKING CALL AT 2 A.M.: Kenta Maeda Phones AJ Hinch – “I WANT TO COME BACK!” – Detroit Tigers Fans in Chaos, Split Into Fiercely Arguing Factions!!!

Detroit – July 15

In one of the most stunning developments of the MLB season, a late-night phone call has sent shockwaves through the Detroit Tigers organization and ignited a firestorm among fans.

At 2:04 a.m., former Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda, now with the New York Yankees, called Detroit manager AJ Hinch with a message no one expected:

“Coach… I want to come back. I want to finish what we started.”

According to sources within the Tigers clubhouse, the call lasted just under 15 minutes. No agents. No legal teams. Just a man — broken, honest, and full of emotion — asking to return to the place he once called home.

From Detroit Hero to Bronx Nightmare

Maeda’s trade to the Yankees six weeks ago was met with mixed emotions. While Detroit fans praised the return value, many were sad to see the Japanese veteran leave. Some believed New York would revitalize him.

But it didn’t.

Since arriving in the Bronx, Maeda has struggled:

A sky-high 6.23 ERA,
11 walks in just four starts,
Failure to complete five innings in any appearance.

Once embraced by Yankees fans, Maeda is now jeered. The press calls him “washed,” and social media is unforgiving.

“Trade him back,” one viral post read.

“He’s not a Yankee. He’s just passing through.”

Those close to Maeda say the pressure, the expectations, and the cold reception have worn him down.

“He can’t sleep,” said a friend. “He keeps watching old Tigers games. He misses the roar of Comerica more than anything.”

AJ Hinch Confirms the Call

At a brief media appearance Tuesday morning, Tigers manager AJ Hinch was asked point-blank: Did Kenta Maeda call you?

His answer?

“Yes. I won’t share details, but I’ll say this — if a player calls you at 2 a.m. because he wants to come home, that means something.”

Tigers insiders confirm the front office has begun internal discussions. No official talks with the Yankees have been initiated — yet.

But one thing is clear: the door is not closed.

Detroit Fans: Torn in Two

News of the call hit Tigers fandom like a thunderclap. And within minutes, the fanbase split down the middle.

One side is furious:

“He left us. We moved on. We don’t need a boomerang pitcher.”

“You don’t get to come back just because New York didn’t work out.”
The other side? Overwhelmingly emotional:

“He never wanted to leave. His heart stayed in Detroit.”

“Let him come home. Forgiveness is part of the game.”

A photo went viral early Tuesday: a young boy outside Comerica Park holding a handwritten sign:

“We forgive you, Kenta. Come home.”

Meanwhile in New York… Tension Builds

Yankees players and staff were reportedly blindsided by the news. One unnamed veteran told local reporters:

“If he wants out, fine. But don’t pretend you’re still with us.”

Team insiders say Maeda has grown distant in the clubhouse. He’s missed optional workouts. He’s been seen spending time alone, watching videos of his Tigers starts from 2022 and 2023.

For now, the Yankees have not issued an official comment — but internally, the mood is described as “tense and uncertain.”

Would a Return Even Be Possible?

Maeda’s contract reportedly includes a soft buyout clause, which, if activated, would allow the Yankees and Tigers to renegotiate terms with Maeda’s approval.

Even more surprising? Sources say Maeda is willing to take a pay cut to return to Detroit.

“It’s not about money,” a source close to him said. “It’s about peace. And redemption.”

A Clubhouse Divided. A City Watching.

The Tigers clubhouse itself is watching closely. While some players welcome the idea of Maeda’s return, others worry about chemistry and team momentum.

“We’ve come together since he left,” one player said anonymously. “Would he disrupt that? Or would he complete it?”

The Power of a 2 A.M. Call

There are moments in baseball that can’t be measured in stats.

This wasn’t about ERA or WHIP or innings pitched. This was about a man who made a mistake, felt its weight, and reached for the only place that ever felt like home.

Maeda may still be wearing pinstripes — but his soul is clearly still in Detroit.

Final Word

The future is uncertain.

Maybe the Tigers welcome him back. Maybe the Yankees refuse to let go. Maybe it all ends in heartbreak.

But no one will forget the night Kenta Maeda picked up the phone at 2 a.m.

Not to call his agent.

Not to call the league.

But to call the only manager who ever believed in him — and to whisper:

“I want to come home.”

And maybe, just maybe…

Detroit is still listening.