Maeda (elbow) said Sunday that he began a throwing program earlier this month and is currently playing catch off flat ground from 30 feet, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
In the early stages of his rehab program from the modified Tommy John surgery he underwent Sept. 1, Maeda has thus far avoided any setbacks, but the right-hander acknowledged that he's unsure if he'll be able to pitch for the Twins at any point this season. Ultimately, whether Maeda toes the rubber in the big leagues in 2022 will be dictated by how he progresses in the months to come, and the Twins' place in the standings in the second half of the season should factor into the equation as well. Even if Maeda is able to advance through his rehab quickly and make a 12-month turnaround from the elbow procedure, he won't be worth stashing in any redraft leagues until several months down the road.