Yusei Kikuchi Trade Update: Astros sign Japanese All-star pitcher from Toronto Blue Jays 

The Houston Astros have acquired Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to address their pitching woes caused by injuries. The club will reportedly send pitching prospect Jake Bloss to the Toronto Blue Jays as part of the trade for Kikuchi.

With the Blue Jays in the 2024 season, Kikuchi made 22 starts, posting a 4-9 record and a 4.75 ERA. He has 130 strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP across 115.2 innings pitched.

Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that, along with Bloss, the Astros have also sent two other prospects, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner to the Blue Jays in exchange for Kikuchi.

The Astros' IL is filled with their top starters including Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Justin Verlander.

In his last 12 starts, the southpaw has struggled with a 6.87 ERA, but he will hope to improve that with the Astros. He will also be returning to the American League West, where he previously played from 2019 to 2021 with the Seattle Mariners.

After his first three seasons with the Mariners, Kikuchi signed a three-year, $36 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. So far in his career, he has a 4.72 ERA over 156 appearances, striking out 761 batters and walking 268 in 749.2 innings pitched.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider speaks about Yusei Kikuchi’s reaction to the trade situation

Yusei Kikuchi’s trade was the second the Toronto Blue Jays made on Monday after trading Justin Turner to the Seattle Mariners for RJ Schreck. Blue Jays manager John Schneider spoke about Kikuchi’s handling of the trade situation (via Sportsnet):

“It’s pretty evident that he likes it here and his wife likes it here and things like that. It’s the first time he’s in this spot, understanding that it’s part of the business. He’s had ample time to kind of digest it a little bit, which is unfortunate, but I would say he’s in a good place,” Schneider said.

The Houston Astros (55-51) are leading the AL West by a narrow margin over the second-place Seattle Mariners (56-52). The Astros lost the opening game of their three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday at Minute Maid Park.

Meanwhile, the Mariners also lost their opening game in their three-game series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Both clubs will look to bounce back and tie their respective series in their next games taking place on Tuesday.