Angels Ink Left-Handed Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to 3-Year, $63M Deal

Nov 25, 2024, 02:07 PM

The Los Angeles Angels have secured the services of left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, signing him to a three-year, $63 million contract. This deal marks the most expensive contract signed during the tenure of General Manager Perry Minasian, surpassing the previous record set by Raisel Iglesias' four-year, $58 million deal in 2022. Kikuchi, who was traded to the Houston Astros from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year's trade deadline, had an impressive performance with a 2.70 ERA over 60 innings in ten starts. The Angels' aggressive spending this offseason now totals over $100 million, including contracts for Jorge Soler, Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks, and Kevin Newman. Kikuchi's signing is part of a broader strategy to bolster the team's pitching rotation, which now includes Reid Detmers, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson, and Kyle Hendricks. Kikuchi is known for his hard-throwing left-handed pitching style, featuring a polished four-pitch mix highlighted by a strong fastball. He posted a 4.05 ERA and a 3.46 FIP in 175.2 innings pitched this season, with a notable 22.0% strikeout-to-walk rate. He was ranked #14 on The Athletic's free agent big board.