Yusei kikuchi of the Toronto Blue Jays Getty
It's been a struggle of late for former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi , who missed nearly four months of play after landing on the Injured List in May because of a left shoulder ailment.
His rehabilitation assignment did not go well, and while he initially enjoyed some short-term success upon his return to the majors, he began running into trouble yet again.
GettyYusei kikuchi of the Toronto Blue Jays
A former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, Kikuchi originally left an April 29 start against the Chicago White Sox with what was believed to be shoulder tightness.
However, he'd soon be diagnosed with left shoulder inflammation, though he opted against season-ending surgery.
Kikuchi made three rehab starts before returning to the Angels , giving up 14 runs in just eight innings. He continued to struggle after returning to Los Angeles , making for a rough first season of his three-year contract with the Angels.
So far this year, he's gone 1-6 with a subpar 5.02 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP for the Angels, who are in last place in the National League West Division with a 60-95 record.
In his most recent start against the Seattle Mariners , he took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and five walks while striking out four over 4.1 innings of work.
Kikuchi started his professional career in his native Japan with the Saitama Seibu Lions before making the jump to MLB with Seattle in 2019. He earned an All-Star selection in 2021 and joined the Blue Jays the following year with a three year contract, posting his strongest Toronto season in 2023 with an 11-6 record and 3.86 ERA.
Toronto traded Kikuchi to Houston at the 2024 deadline in return for Jake Bloss , Joey Loperfido , and Will Wagner . With the Astros , he pitched well down the stretch and helped the Astros return to the MLB postseason. He finished that year with a career-best 206 strikeouts and later signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Angels.
Kikuchi made his second All-Star team in 2025 but has dealt with injury and inconsistent results since, including a left shoulder issue that sidelined him for much of 2026 before being activated on August 23.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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