Earlier this week, the Toronto Blue Jays secured a series victory against the New York Yankees, largely thanks to the stellar performance of their starting pitchers. Specifically, left-hander Yusei Kikuchi delivered an impressive outing, pitching six innings and limiting the Bronx Bombers to just three hits and one run on 94 pitches.
Kikuchi, a Japanese talent, struck out nine batters during the game, including Anthony Volpe (three times), Aaron Judge (twice), and Juan Soto, among others. His exceptional pitching provided the Blue Jays with a strong opportunity to win the game.
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This recent performance adds to Kikuchi’s consistent excellence on the mound, which has been evident throughout this season and the previous year. In four outings spanning 20 2/3 innings this season, the left-hander has surrendered only 17 hits and five earned runs, resulting in an impressive 2.08 ERA. It’s worth noting that a Bo Bichette error was erroneously counted as a hit, leading to an additional earned run for Kikuchi. Despite issuing eight walks, Kikuchi has racked up 28 strikeouts, placing him tied for third in the American League in strikeouts alongside White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (31) and Angels left-hander Reid Detmers (30). His strikeout-per-nine innings (K/9) rate of 12.0 currently ranks second in the A.L. and fourth in the league, with three out of his four starts resulting in seven or more strikeouts.
Yusei Kikuchi is Off to a Strong Start
Kikuchi has guided the Jays to a 2-2 record thus far in the season, with both of his losses occurring when his teammates managed to score only one run in the game, leaving little support for the pitching staff.
Currently, he leads the team in strikeouts, ranks second in ERA and WHIP (1.154), sits third in innings pitched, and ranks third among starting pitchers in terms of BB/9 (3.3). Despite José Berríos’ impressive start to the season, Kikuchi, the only left-handed member of the Jays’ rotation, closely trails him in multiple categories, except for strikeouts, where he ranks among the league’s top performers.
In terms of Statcast metrics, Kikuchi demonstrates exceptional pitching run value (98th percentile) and breaking run value (98th percentile). Utilizing a mix of fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup, all of his pitches boast a whiff percentage above 20%, with his changeup leading the way at 37.5% through 50 pitches.
His curveball has proven particularly effective against opposing teams, holding batters to a .105 average and a .192 expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), while his mid to high 90s fastball sets up strikeouts, leading to 14 batters struck out. The average exit velocity on all pitches remains below 90 MPH, with Kikuchi ranking between the 70th and 80th percentiles in barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage, while standing at the 89th percentile in average exit velocity (84.9 MPH).
Regarding splits, Kikuchi has shown better proficiency against left-handed batters compared to right-handed batters, although the difference in sample size in terms of at-bats is notable. Against right-handed batters, he has limited opposing hitters to a .226/.314/.290 slash line and a .605 OPS over 62 at-bats.
Yusei Kikuchi, 97mph ⛽️
And fist pump. pic.twitter.com/ieULhoXOCZ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 17, 2024
Over the past two seasons with the Blue Jays, Kikuchi has experienced the typical fluctuations of a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Initially, his contract seemed less than favorable in 2022, marked by struggles with his command, evident in his high walk rate of 5.2 BB/9. These challenges led to Kikuchi finishing the year in the bullpen, accumulating a 5.62 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) across 100 2/3 innings. His difficulties in completing pitches prompted the Jays to acquire Mitch White to support both Kikuchi and Berríos, who also faced rotation struggles.
However, in the following season, Kikuchi rebounded after earning the last rotation spot during spring training. He significantly improved his performance, achieving a 3.86 ERA while reducing his walk rate to 2.6 BB/9 over 32 starts. Despite these challenges, his strikeout rates remained consistently high since joining the Blue Jays, recording 11.1 and 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings, respectively, and he continued to excel in striking out batters heading into the current season while notably reducing his hits allowed per nine innings by over 1.2 points compared to his 2022 numbers.
Since the 2023 All-Star game, Kikuchi ranks fourth in the league in Wins Above Replacement (fWAR) with 3.2 and in FIP with 2.68, positioning him ahead of established aces such as Tyler Glasnow and Corbin Burnes.
Kikuchi played a significant role in the 2023 season as part of the impressive Blue Jays pitching staff that propelled the club to the postseason for a second consecutive year, albeit limited to the AL Wild Card round.
Looking forward, Kikuchi’s strong start in a contract year bodes well for him and the Blue Jays organization. His performance could potentially lead to beneficial outcomes for him later in the offseason and provide crucial support to the team in the competitive AL East division. As the Jays seek consistency at the plate, pitchers like Kikuchi, building on their successes from the 2023 season into the current campaign, will be pivotal for the team’s success and its aspirations for postseason glory.
