CP215240501
11/25/2024 12:55 PM
Yusei Kikuchi is staying in the American League West after inking a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, according to multiple reports on Monday morning.
The talented left-hander didn't have a qualifying offer attached to him and thus went quickly off the market, representing the first major signing of this MLB off-season.
That he signed with the Angels is a little surprising, considering the number of contending teams interested. Nonetheless, Kikuchi secured a free-agent deal that significantly trumps the last one he signed, back in 2022 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Here's a closer look.
The deal
Kikuchi agreed to a three-year, $63-million contract with the Angels.
The runners-up
The Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves are among the clubs who will now have to look elsewhere for starting pitching depth after reportedly pursuing Kikuchi.
The player
Kikuchi earned this contract largely off the strength of his impressive showing with the Astros following a mid-season trade from the Blue Jays. The left-hander altered his pitch usage with the Astros and in 10 starts with the club, he posted a 2.70 ERA with 76 strikeouts across 60 innings.
His new contract will cover his age 34-36 seasons and the Angels are hoping the revamped Kikuchi can continue where he left off last season. His underlying metrics were strong and Kikuchi's fastball velocity actually got better in 2024 — he averaged 95.5 m.p.h. on the heater, a career-high since he entered MLB in 2019.
Despite his talent and immense potential, the Japanese southpaw had been somewhat of an enigma during his time with the Seattle Mariners and Blue Jays. His production varied from year to year and that's resulted in a 4.57 career ERA. His challenge will be ensuring that he can build on the changes he made during his limited, but transformative, time with the Astros.
The fit
The Angels have been MLB's busiest club so far this winter, having already acquired Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Newman and Kyle Hendricks. While none of these players are stars expected to deliver game-changing results, the collection, along with Kikuchi, should significantly raise the floor for a Los Angeles club that won just 63 games last year while finishing at the bottom of the AL West.
A division with the Astros and Mariners remains challenging, but a veteran rotation that features Tyler Anderson, Kikuchi and Hendricks is a good starting point for the Angels to try to get back to respectability.
The market
MLB Trade Rumours predicted a three-year, $60-million deal for Kikuchi. That's just under what he received, so the number he eventually landed can be considered a win for the pitcher and agent Scott Boras.
The next domino
Kikuchi was among the mid-tier starting pitchers available this off-season and likely wasn't waiting for top-of-the-market arms, such as Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, to sign. Fellow left-hander Sean Manaea is a comparable starter to Kikuchi and teams who lost out on the latter, could go for him.
