Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that left-hander Yusei Kikuchi is in agreement with the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $63 million contract. Kikuchi, 33, had a great second half to his season last year after being trade from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Houston Astros, compiling a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts. Overall, Kikuchi posted a 4.05 ERA in 2024, making 32 starts split between the Blue Jays and Astros.
Angels Land Yusei Kikuchi
Many thought the Astros overpaid when they acquired him from the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the critics were quickly proven wrong. In 10 starts, Kikuchi tossed 60 innings and posted a 2.70 ERA (147 ERA+) with an elite 31.8 Strikeout rate and 5.9 percent walk rate. The Japanese southpaw excelled by significantly increasing his slider usage at the expense of his curveball.
Yusei Kikuchi has increased his slider usage since coming over to the Astros at the Trade Deadline.@CY24_7 dives deeper into the LHP’s success with the AL West champs. pic.twitter.com/efKHCiuEaT
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 26, 2024
Kikuchi signed with the Seattle Mariners ahead of the 2019 campaign after eight star-studded seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), Japan’s top professional baseball league. He showed flashes of dominance but never maintained success. A solid first half of 2021 earned him an All-Star nomination and helped lead him to opt out of his deal despite finishing the season with an ERA+ of 93.
Toronto decided to sign him to a three-year deal that offseason, hoping to help him break out. Unfortunately, his Blue Jays tenure was a bunch of the same. He tossed 384 innings in 2.5 years in Toronto and posted a 4.48 ERA (92 ERA+) with a solid strikeout and walk rates. In a relatively quick tenure in Toronto, Kikuchi had stretches where he was awful, amazing, and just okay.
That said, Los Angeles will sign Kikuchi with the idea that his improvements in Houston are legitimate and sustainable. Kikuchi became a real strikeout weapon, and that ability plays in the postseason. He would have been a scary weapon had the Detroit Tigers not swept Houston in the Wild Card round this October.
Kikuchi’s addition adds to a busy offseason for the Angels. The club inked right-hander Kyle Hendricks and catcher Travis d’Arnaud to free agent deals and traded for outfielder Jorge Soler. Los Angeles has been the most aggressive team this offseason so far.
Main Photo: © Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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