The Boston Red Sox are looking for a lefty pitcher to balance their rotation for the 2025 season. On Nov. 25, the pool of available talent decreased.
The Los Angeles Angels signed former division rival pitcher Yusei Kikuchi early Monday morning, first reported by MLB insider Jon Heyman. The former All-Star began his MLB career with the Mariners in 2019 and posted two-and-a-half seasons with the Blue Jays from 2022-24.
The southpaw signed a three-year, $63 million deal with Anaheim. Kikuchi raised his value significantly in the second half of last season and quickly played himself into being a popular mid-to-late rotation candidate for teams in the pitching market.
The Blue Jays traded Kikuchi to the Astros for prospects before the 2024 trade deadline, and the change of scenery helped him turn his season around. The lefty logged a 4.75 ERA over 115.2 innings with the struggling Jays to begin the year, and finished strong with a 2.70 ERA in 60 innings in Houston. His resurgence helped keep the Astros' pitching staff alive to make it to the Wild Card round.
Angels sign Yusei Kikuchi to three-year deal and remove one of the Red Sox's lefty starter options from the market
#MLBNHotStove reacts to the Angels' reported 3-year deal with Yusei Kikuchi.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 25, 2024
Kikuchi had a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts after being traded to the Astros last season. https://t.co/WQPd9hZQY6 pic.twitter.com/Ei68VjFZ7U
Kikuchi is a career 4.57 ERA pitcher in MLB over 809.2 innings. He hasn't always been a strikeout arm, but his career 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings jumped up to 11.4 over his 10 starts with the Astros.
Kikuchi would've been a solid replacement for Nick Pivetta in the rotation if the Sox got to him before the Angels. Besides the shortened 2020 season, Kikuchi averages over 152 innings per year and made 32 starts in 2023 and 2024. He's a durable, trusted option to take the ball every fifth day and the Red Sox's rotation could use that kind of stability.