YUSEI KIKUCHI NEWS

Yusei Kikuchi strikes out six | 08/26/2022 Yusei Kikuchi strikes out six batters in his three innings of relief, allowing three runs and three hits against the Angels

AUGUST 27, 2022 • MLB.COM

What's the role for Kikuchi in bullpen? This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson's Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it...

AUGUST 19, 2022 • MLB.COM

Yusei Kikuchi K's Oswaldo Cabrera | 08/18/2022 Yusei Kikuchi strikes out Oswaldo Cabrera swinging at a slider after a five-pitch at-bat to end the bottom of the 8th inning

AUGUST 19, 2022 • MLB.COM

Opinion | Yusei Kikuchi still has plenty of supporters on the Blue Jays roster “If (his fastball) does tick up a little bit (in the bullpen), we could be talking about a lefty who’s throwing 98 to 100,” reliever Phelps...

AUGUST 19, 2022 • THESTAR.COM

Dropped from rotation Interim manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Kikuchi will transition to a relief role, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact The 31-year-old has surrendered 14 runs (11 earned) over 17.1 innings since the All-Star break and has a 5.25 ERA for the season, and the Blue Jays have seen enough with him in the rotation. Mitch White will step into the rotation Saturday against the Yankees with Kikuchi now in the bullpen.

AUGUST 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Blue Jays Move Yusei Kikuchi to Bullpen Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi will pitch out of the bullpen, manager John Schneider said on Wednesday.

AUGUST 17, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Early exit Monday Kikuchi (4-7) took the loss Monday as the Blue Jays were downed 7-3 by the Orioles, coughing up six runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks over 3.1 innings. He struck out...

Impact The southpaw's own error on a pickoff attempt in the fourth inning was just one of Toronto's defensive miscues on the night, helping to soften the blow to his ERA, but Kikuchi was hit hard when he did allow contact -- three of the four hits off him went for extra bases, including a two-run homer by Jays nemesis Ryan Mountcastle. Since returning to the rotation at the end of July, Kikuchi has a 5.71 ERA thanks to a 2.6 HR/9 despite an otherwise solid 1.33 WHIP and 17:8 K:BB through 17.1 innings.

AUGUST 16, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

'More urgency than the patience': Blue Jays may have no choice but to skip Yusei Kikuchi Toronto is 6-14 when the pitcher takes the mound, and that's troublesome in a tight wild-card race.

AUGUST 16, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Yusei Kikuchi unravels and Blue Jays drop series opener to Orioles The Jays are 6-14 this season when Kikuchi starts, 55-38 when anybody else does.

AUGUST 16, 2022 • THESTAR.COM

Yusei Kikuchi strikes out three | 08/15/2022 Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi strikes out three Orioles in 3 1/3 frames and allows six runs on four hits

AUGUST 16, 2022 • MLB.COM

Rasmussen loses perfect game in 9th, Rays beat Orioles 4-1

Drew Rasmussen took a perfect game into the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays expanded their lead over Baltimore for the final AL wild card to 1 1/2 games with a 4-1 victory ove...

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hit hard in loss Kikuchi (4-6) took the loss Monday as the Blue Jays fell 7-4 to the Orioles, coughing up five runs on six hits -- including three home runs -- and three walks over five innings. He...

Impact The southpaw tossed 52 of 84 pitches for strikes, but once again bad things tended to happen when he was over the plate. Kikuchi gave up only four homers in 41.1 innings through the end of May, but his season has been a disaster since as he's been taken deep multiple times in five of his last 10 starts, leading to a 6.93 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 44:22 K:BB over his last 37.2 frames.

AUGUST 9, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Orioles hit 4 homers in 7-4 victory over Blue Jays

Ramón Urías hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Anthony Santander, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays also went deep to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-4 victory over th...

AUGUST 9, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fans five in no-decision Kikuchi didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Rays, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out five.

Impact The southpaw put together a solid line but got the hook after 74 pitches (44 strikes), as Toronto interim manager John Schneider didn't want him to face the Tampa Bay batting order for a third time. Kikuchi has been solid in two starts since returning from the IL, allowing three runs in nine innings with a 10:2 K:BB, but his 4.86 ERA on the season remains lackluster.

AUGUST 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yusei Kikuchi strikes out five | 08/03/2022 Yusei Kikuchi strikes out five batters, allowing two runs and three hits in his four-inning start against the Rays

AUGUST 3, 2022 • MLB.COM

Picks up win in return from IL Kikuchi (4-5) earned the win over Detroit on Thursday, pitching five innings and allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out five batters.

Impact Kikuchi was activated earlier in the day after spending three weeks on the injured list due to a neck strain, and he was able to give Toronto 67 pitches and five innings en route to the victory. The only run against him came on a second-inning home run off the bat of Willi Castro. Kikuchi has completed five innings in only seven of 17 starts this season, so it was particularly notable that he was able to reach that mark in his first contest coming off an injury.

JULY 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yusei Kikuchi's five strikeouts | 07/28/2022 Yusei Kikuchi fans five Tigers over five innings of one-run ball in the Blue Jays' 5-3 win

JULY 29, 2022 • MLB.COM

Activated prior to start Kikuchi (neck) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list prior to Thursday's start against the Tigers.

Impact Kikuchi missed three weeks due to his neck strain, but he made a rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo last week and struck out four in five scoreless innings. The left-hander wasn't particularly sharp ahead of his IL sting, posting a 6.82 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in 33 innings over his nine starts prior to his absence.

JULY 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Starting Thursday Kikuchi (neck) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Thursday's home game against the Tigers, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.

Impact Kikuchi has been on the IL since July 7 due to a neck strain, but he began a rehab assignment last week and allowed two hits and three walks while striking out four in five scoreless innings during his lone minor-league start. He threw a side session Tuesday and has been cleared to rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation for Thursday's series opener against the Tigers. Kikuchi threw 77 pitches during his rehab start, so he should be able to handle a relatively significant workload against a favorable opponent.

JULY 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Thursday return possible Kikuchi (neck) threw a side session Tuesday and could be activated to start Thursday versus Detroit, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact It's unclear how long the club will wait to announce when Kikuchi is returning. The lefty struggled prior to his injury, posting a 7.99 ERA in 23.2 innings over his last seven starts, but the Tigers' hapless lineup could help him ease back into MLB action.

JULY 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Could return from IL this week Kikuchi (neck) covered five scoreless innings and struck out four in his rehab start Friday with Triple-A Buffalo. He scattered two hits and three walks in the outing.

Impact The Blue Jays have yet to officially announce Kikuchi's next step, but since the veteran southpaw turned in quality results in his rehab outing while building up to 77 pitches, he should be ready to re-enter the rotation when the big club requires a fifth starter during their four-game series with the Tigers later this week. Though a potential matchup with a punchless Detroit offense is a good one for Kikuchi, he's been difficult to trust from a fantasy standpoint when healthy this season. Over 16 starts with Toronto, Kikuchi owns a 5.12 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 74:41 K:BB across 65 innings.

JULY 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Begins rehab assignment Kikuchi (neck) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.

Impact Kikuchi landed on the injured list due to a neck strain July 7 and will require at least one rehab start prior to rejoining the Blue Jays' rotation. It's not yet clear how many appearances the southpaw will make with the minor-league club, but he'll likely be in the mix to return sometime next week or in early August.

JULY 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Shohei Ohtani is 'Made In Japan' with American adaptations

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is doing things no other player has ever done

JULY 18, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tosses side session Kikuchi (neck) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact Kikuchi isn't eligible to return from the 15-day injured list this week after he was deactivated July 7 due to a neck strain, but the fact that he's back on the mound already suggests he won't be in store for an extended absence. Even if he remains uninhibited as he builds back up from the injury, Kikuchi may not be guaranteed a spot in the Toronto rotation upon his return from the IL. The veteran southpaw was productive over a stretch of five starts in May, but he's mostly struggled in his other 11 outings on the season. He'll carry a 5.12 ERA and 1.57 WHIP into the All-Star break.

JULY 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mariners host the Blue Jays on 5-game home win streak

The Seattle Mariners, on a five-game home winning streak, host the Toronto Blue Jays

JULY 10, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS