The Los Angeles Angels have taken a significant step towards revamping their beleaguered pitching staff by signing experienced left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $63 million contract. Kikuchi, a 33-year-old pitcher with a history of fluctuating performance, joins the Angels after a transformative season split between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros in 2024.
In a season that saw him refine and retool his pitching method, Kikuchi managed to deliver a solid campaign, finishing with a 4.05 ERA and a 3.46 FIP over 32 starts. Notably, his stint with the Astros midway through the season revealed a pitcher capable of dominating on the mound. Over 10 starts with Houston, Kikuchi impressed with a 2.70 ERA and a striking 147 ERA+. His success was partly attributed to significant adjustments in his pitching style, notably reducing his fastball and curveball usage and increasing his reliance on the slider to over 37%. This strategic pivot led to a remarkable 5.43 strikeout-to-walk ratio during his tenure with the Astros.
The Angels, looking to rebound from a dismal 2024 campaign in which they suffered a franchise-worst 99 losses, are banking on Kikuchi's refined skills and experience. His addition is part of a broader offseason strategy that saw the team acquire key players such as Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks, and Kevin Newman. The Angels are eager to leverage these additions alongside emerging talents from their young core, which includes Logan O'Hoppe and Zach Neto.
As Kikuchi transitions to the Angels, one prevailing narrative will be whether he can sustain the levels of performance he demonstrated with the Astros. "The Astros were widely panned at the trade deadline when they surrendered some of their best prospects for Kikuchi," notes an insider. "It wasn't a matter of talent so much as a question of execution. Kikuchi has long been appraised as having a phenomenal arsenal; he's just seldom performed like it." Indeed, Kikuchi's career has been characterized by flashes of brilliance interspersed with periods of struggle, encapsulated in his career 91 OPS+ over six MLB seasons.
The Angels' investment in Kikuchi is reflective of the team's optimism that the improvements he displayed in Houston can be sustained. While there is risk involved—logic dictates teams might hesitate to heavily weigh 10 impressive starts over the previous 144 appearances—it only takes one "True Believer" for a pitcher like Kikuchi to secure a lucrative deal. The Angels, it seems, are that believer, hoping that their faith is rewarded with consistent and dominant pitching performances.
As the Angels look forward to the upcoming season, Kikuchi's presence in the rotation symbolizes their commitment to change and improvement. Should he replicate his late-2024 form, Kikuchi could prove to be a pivotal figure in reversing the team's fortunes, anchoring a rotation that was, until now, a glaring weakness. It remains to be seen if Los Angeles can collectively transform their potential into on-field success, but the signing of Kikuchi marks an earnest endeavor to do just that.