Angels value Yusei Kikuchi’s ability to add hitting to their rotation – Daily News

When Angels general manager Perry Minasian looks at Yusei Kikuchi’s 2024 season, he sees more than a strong 10-start finish.

On the day the Angels officially announced the left-hander’s three-year, $63 million deal, Minasian said that although Kikuchi had seemingly mediocre numbers with the Toronto Blue Jays, he still showed the qualities the Angels wanted.

“Overall it was a quality year when you look at the underlying numbers, the strikes, the marches,” Minasian said Wednesday. “There were a few things we wanted to do in the rotation. (Throwing) hits are really important. Guys attacking the strike zone.”

Kikuchi, 33, had 10.6 strikeouts and 2.3 walks per nine innings last season. Both of those numbers were consistent throughout the season, despite a 4.75 ERA with the Blue Jays and a 2.70 ERA following his trade to the Houston Astros in late July.

Last season, the Angels’ starters ranked 27th in MLB with 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings and 28th in strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Three of the best performing pitchers – left-hander Tyler Anderson and right-handers José Soriano And Jack Kochanowicz – they are all strictly contact shooters.

“Swinging and missing is important,” Minasian said. “To add a guy who can take the pressure off the defense.”

Minasian said the Angels also value Kikuchi’s “toughness.” He made 32 starts and pitched 175⅔ innings last season. Started at least 29 matches in four of his five major league seasons..

Minasian said Kikuchi is “the type of pitcher who can beat anyone we have right now.”

Kikuchi and right-hander Kyle Hendricks now take a rotation with Soriano and Anderson.

“Those four are pretty safe bets to be in the rotation,” Minasian said. “We’ll see what happens in the fifth.”

This leaves left-hander Reid Detmers and right-handers Chase Silseth and Kochanowicz competing for a job heading into spring training. Three other pitchers with a taste of the major leagues (right-handers Caden Dana and Sam Bachman and left-hander Sam Aldegheri) will be in the next group.

Minasian also did not rule out adding more to the group.

“From a free agency standpoint, we’ll continue to look at it from a business standpoint,” he said. “If there is an upgrade in terms of rotation, we will try to do that.”