Yusei Kikuchi (32, Toronto Blue Jays) showed off a powerful pitch with 8 strikeouts. However, in July, he failed to win even one game.
Kikuchi started on the 22nd (hereinafter Korean time) in an away game against the Seattle Mariners in the 2023 major league held at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, USA.바카라
Kikuchi didn’t add a win in July after winning his seventh game against the Oakland Athletics on June 26. In his last two matches of the first half, he conceded not a few runs, and he was not lucky on this day. In July, the average ERA was 4.66 with 1 loss in 4 games.
However, Kikuchi pitched well against Seattle, his hometown, that day. He got off to a shaky start by walking leadoff hitter JP Crawford in the first inning, but threw Julio Rodriguez to right field with a four-seam for 95.4 mph. He double-played shortstop Eugenio Suarez with a 95-mph four-seam.
Even in the second inning, Kikuchi was in danger with one out and first and second base, but struck out AJ Pollock with a surprise 84-mile curve swing. He mixed four-seams and sliders around 95 mph, but also used quite a few curveballs. And he struck out Dylan Moore on a four-seam at 96.9 mph on a swing. Top speed of the day.
Kikuchi struck out Crawford with a 96-mile four-seam swing without a hit in the third inning. Suarez struck out on a swing with a slider. In the 4th inning, he also struck out three batters one after another from the first baseman, and in the 5th inning, he recorded a three-way strike for the first time. After striking out lead batter Rodriguez using a curveball, changeup, and slider in the sixth inning, he was replaced after being hit by an infield hit by Suarez.
Kikuchi is the fastest win-stacking pace since his debut, even though he hasn’t even scored a win since July. The second season of a three-year, $36 million (approximately 46.4 billion won) contract. 7 wins is the most wins in a season since debut in 2019. By simple calculation, 10 wins seems quite possible. But there are variables. This is because Hyun-Jin Ryu, who has completed Tommy John surgery and rehabilitation, can return in a three-game home game against the Los Angeles Angels starting on the 29th at the earliest.
CBS Sports said on the 20th, “If Ryu Hyun-jin returns, Kikuchi will be pushed out of the swing man role.” Rather, he said that the starting pitcher trade would be decided according to Alec Manoa’s progress. Basically, I didn’t trust Kikuchi.
Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Ryu Hyun-jin are constants in the starting lineup. Here, Kikuchi, transfer students Chris Bassit and Manoa are fighting for the remaining two spots. However, it is true that there is no guarantee that Ryu Hyun-jin will immediately show his former skills, and that six starting pitchers will be needed in that he will be able to receive pitch management for the time being.