Yusei Kikuchi on Mon, Sep 28, 2026

Kikuchi strikes out 7 but allows 3 runs in no-decision vs. Seattle

Yusei Kikuchi went 5.0 innings against Seattle, allowing 6 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 7 and walking just 1. That strikeout total ranks among his better outings of the season, and a 7-to-1 K/BB ratio in a single start is excellent by any measure. Still, the runs allowed fall right in line with his season-long 4.92 ERA and 1.54 WHIP, so the underlying trouble spots that have kept him at 1-7 through 14 starts were still visible.

Looking at the pitch mix, the four-seam fastball was his most-used pitch at 27 pitches (30%), but it produced only a 63% strike rate and zero whiffs, suggesting his fastball command was off on the day. The slider picked up the slack, going 23 pitches with an 87% strike rate and 3 whiffs, functioning as his primary strike-getter. The real out pitch, though, was the splitter: despite throwing fewer of them (17, 19%) than the slider, it generated 4 whiffs against a modest 53% strike rate, the best miss rate per pitch of any offering he threw. The curveball added a 22-pitch, 1-whiff complement that helped change hitters' eye level. On the platoon side, his season splits show a reverse trend for a left-hander — a .268 average and .795 OPS allowed against righties versus .306 and .809 against lefties — which remains a notable red flag in his profile.

His last ten outings include a strong 7-inning, 2-run start against Philadelphia on August 31 and a scoreless 6-inning effort against Pittsburgh on September 6, so this isn't a pitcher in freefall. The bigger question for his next start is whether he can restore fastball command, since the secondary pitches — especially the splitter — are clearly still doing their job. Unico's take: with the splitter this sharp, a cleaner fastball should be enough to turn these no-decisions into wins.