Yusei Kikuchi, a left-handed pitcher, and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a three-year contract worth $63 million, according to a source familiar with the negotiations, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The deal, which was first reported by the New York Post, is contingent on Kikuchi passing a physical exam.
Kikuchi, 33, will earn $21 million each year during the contract. This agreement brings his total MLB earnings to $142 million over nine seasons.
An All-Star in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners, Kikuchi finished the 2024 season with a 9-10 record and a 4.05 ERA in 32 starts with both Toronto and Houston. He was traded to the Astros on July 30 in exchange for right-hander Jake Bloss, rookie outfielder Joey Loperfido, and minor league first baseman Will Wagner.
With Houston, Kikuchi posted a 5-1 record and a 2.70 ERA over 10 starts. He struck out 76 batters and walked 14 in 60 innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 95.5 mph, the highest speed of his career.
In six MLB seasons with Seattle (2019-2021), Toronto (2022-2024), and Houston, Kikuchi has a record of 41-47 with a 4.57 ERA.
Kikuchi originally signed with Seattle in 2019 for $43 million over three years, with the Mariners also paying a posting fee of $10.275 million to his former team, the Seibu Lions in Japan. He later joined Toronto in March 2022 with a three-year, $36 million deal.
The Angels have been very active this offseason, adding Kikuchi to their pitching rotation, which now includes left-handers Tyler Anderson and Reid Detmers, along with right-handers José Soriano and Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks, a former Chicago Cubs pitcher, signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal.
Griffin Canning, another right-handed pitcher, was traded to the Atlanta Braves on October 31 in exchange for outfielder and designated hitter Jorge Soler. The Angels also signed catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year, $12 million deal.
The Angels finished with a disappointing 63-99 record in 2024, marking their ninth consecutive losing season and their first since losing Shohei Ohtani to free agency, with Ohtani signing with the Dodgers. The team has not made the playoffs since 2014.
