Let’s Do This: Yusei Kikuchi’s Pumped Up Message to…
The Los Angeles Angels officially signed starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $69 million deal on Wednesday. The deal is the largest the Angels have extended to a player in free agency since Perry Minasian became the general manager of the team in 2020.
Kikuchi will be tabbed with improving an Angels rotation that was one of the worst in MLB last season. Overall, the Angels finished the 2024 season 26th in MLB with a team ERA of 4.56. The Angels finished second-to-last in MLB in strikeouts, and allowed the second-most walks of any team.
Kikuchi has since addressed fans by sharing a message on X in Japanese. The message translated to: “I came to Anaheim for a physical exam for three days and one night. All went well, and I just signed a contract with the Angels. I will do my best to help us advance to the playoffs for the first time in a while.”
Kikuchi added: “I am looking forward to the new journey that is about to begin. I will now take a flight and return to Japan.”
Kikuchi comes in to the rotation with high upside and talent, though he has had an inconsistent career in MLB. In his first four MLB seasons, Kikuchi finished each of those years with a losing record and an ERA above 4.00, with an ERA above 5.00 in three of those seasons. He did make the MLB All-Star Game in 2021 after posting a 3.34 ERA through the first three months of the season, but his ERA dropped to 4.41 by the end of the year.
Kikuchi posted a winning record as a starter for the first time in 2023, going 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a career-high 181 strikeouts. He was unable to match that to start the 2024 season, posting a 4.75 ERA before the Blue Jays traded him to the Houston Astros in July 2024. Kikuchi pitched much better with the Astros for the rest of the season, posting a 5-1 record and 2.70 ERA after joining Houston.
The Angels, of course, will hope to see the version of Kikuchi that the Astros got at the end of the 2024 season. If Kikcuhi can pitch that way for the entirety of next season, it would give Los Angeles the upgrade they need at the position.
