Yusei Kikuchi

Kikuchi's latest 2026 stats are updated daily in the stats box at the top of this page. ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched are all tracked. Through April 27 (6 starts), he is 0-3 with a 6.21 ERA and 1.59 WHIP — a command issue, as his K/9 of about 9.93 shows the strikeout stuff remains fully intact.

Through April 27, Kikuchi is off to a difficult start — 0-3 with a 6.21 ERA across 6 starts (29.0 IP), driven by 13 walks and a 1.59 WHIP. The strikeout numbers remain elite (32 K, K/9 ~9.93), confirming the fastball-slider arsenal that earned him the 2025 All-Star nod is still working. The path back is tightening his BB/9 — a May/June correction is well within his historical range.

Kikuchi's 2026 ERA sits at 6.21 with a K/9 of approximately 9.93 (32 strikeouts in 29.0 innings) through 6 starts as of April 27. The K/9 is comfortably above the MLB starter average of about 8.5, but the 1.59 WHIP and 13 walks (BB/9 ~4.0) are inflating run-scoring opportunities. In 2025 he posted a career-best workload — 33 starts, second straight Opening Day assignment, second All-Star selection — and the underlying stuff suggests that level is recoverable.

Kikuchi is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. He is the Angels' Opening Day starter and pitches every five days as the anchor of their rotation. Now in his 8th MLB season, he is the most experienced active Japanese pitcher in the American League.

Yusei Kikuchi was born on September 27, 1991, making him 34 years old during the 2026 MLB season. He debuted with the Mariners in 2019 and is now in his second year of a three-year deal with the Angels, having earned All-Star selection in both 2023 and 2025.

As a left-handed pitcher, Kikuchi has a natural advantage against left-handed hitters — his slider slides away from them, generating weak contact and strikeouts. Historically in MLB, left-handed batters have posted a lower batting average and OPS against him compared to right-handers. His 2026 K/9 of about 9.93 confirms the bat-missing stuff is working against both sides.

Kikuchi works primarily with a four-seam fastball (mid-90s mph) and a sharp, sweeping slider as his two main weapons. He also mixes in a changeup and occasional curveball. The fastball-slider combination is what generates his high strikeout totals — the slider in particular has been his best pitch in recent seasons, generating elite swing-and-miss against batters of both handedness.

Kikuchi's next scheduled start is reflected in the schedule section on this page. As the Angels' rotation anchor, he pitches approximately every five days. Check the stats box above for the latest start log and upcoming dates.

Kikuchi's most recent start (IP, K, ER, pitch count, win/loss) is updated in the stats box at the top of this page and on the dedicated "Today" page. The Today page also includes pitch usage by type (fastball, slider, changeup), swing-and-miss rates, splits vs RHB/LHB, and a Unico AI breakdown. Live in-play updates run during the game; final results are posted by 18:00 JST.

View Yusei Kikuchi's today start details→

Yusei Kikuchi plays for the Los Angeles Angels as a left-handed starting pitcher. He is in the second year of his three-year deal in 2026, having served as the Angels' Opening Day starter and earned All-Star selection in 2025. With his 8th MLB season underway, he is the most experienced active Japanese pitcher in the American League.