Blue Jays, Kikuchi get back on track with dominant series against Pirates
PITTSBURGH – The final time Yusei Kikuchi pitched at PNC Park, he was struggling to discover a function with the Toronto Blue Jays after being pulled from the beginning rotation. A necessity on a bullpen day that Sept. 3 lined him up behind opener Trevor Richards and the left-hander struck out 5 in 2.1 innings of one-run ball in a 4-1 win, a flash of what the membership felt may very well be his norm.
Facing the Pittsburgh Pirates as soon as once more some eight months later, Kikuchi continued to manifest all these visions for him, delivering 6.1-shutout innings in a 10-1 Blue Jays win that accomplished a three-game sweep.
The distinction in standing for the 31-year-old between then – a 5.32 ERA and crew file of 9-16 within the video games he pitched in – and now – a 3.35 ERA and crew file of 6-1 in his begins – couldn’t be extra stark.
“Obviously I was disappointed last year,” Kikuchi mentioned by interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “But that disappointment, I use that as fuel this year. I learned from everything last year and brought it to this year.”
Much as all the crew did right here over the weekend, Kikuchi shook off an aberration exhibiting in opposition to the Boston Red Sox on the entrance finish of this nine-game street journey by ripping by the unlikely NL Central leaders. After ready out a one-hour 35-minute rain delay, his command was erratic within the first, when he walked leadoff man Ke’Bryan Hayes earlier than Bryan Reynolds drove a ball to the bottom of the wall in centre, the place Kevin Kiermaier tracked it down.
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From there, the worst harm in opposition to him got here within the fourth, when a Carlos Santana comebacker caught him on the left biceps, deflecting towards Santiago Espinal at shortstop who made a slick play to throw out the runner. Kikuchi shook out his arm on the mound afterward however remained within the sport, working round a Hayes leadoff single and Santana’s two-out stroll within the sixth to keep up the zero.
“There’s no problem at all,” Kikuchi mentioned of his arm.
Manager John Schneider got here to get him after a one-out Miguel Andujar double within the seventh, with Yimi Garcia locking down the remainder of the body. Kikuchi allowed 4 hits and two walks whereas hanging out three, leveraging his defence on a day he had simply six whiffs in 44 swings.
That was lots to leverage a Whit Merrifield RBI single within the first, the second baseman’s three-run homer within the third and Danny Jansen’s run-scoring groundout within the fifth earlier than a crowd of 21,655. After a nervous eighth, throughout which Yimi Garcia gave up a run and left a bases-loaded, one-out mess that Jordan Romano needed to clear up, Daulton Varsho added a two-run shot, Jansen an RBI double and Kiermaier a two-run shot within the ninth to make sure the Blue Jays headed into an off-day at 21-14.
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They open a two-game sequence on the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, once they hope the soreness in Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s left wrist eases sufficient for the slugger to play.
“It’s a credit to the guys,” Schneider mentioned of the Pirates sweep. “There was no panic. It is what it is in Boston, you move on and try to win the next series. Always tough to take all three and I think we kind of got back to more of what we’re used to doing with pitching, taking care of the ball and good at-bats.”
Kikuchi’s efficiency is an enormous a part of it and he’s now allowed one run or much less in 5 of his seven begins this season. Of observe is the 2 instances he’s had blips – a six-run in 4.1 innings mess April 9 in Anaheim and a five-runs-in-4.1 innings slog in Boston’s depressing climate final week – he’s instantly corrected.
“I take it all the way back to the off-season and the work that he did and he’s really seeing the benefits,” mentioned Schneider. “Getting to where he did in the off-season and spring training and feeling comfortable with it just kind of allows him to keep doing it.”
Now, Kikuchi had good stretches final 12 months, too, however what’s totally different this season is the way in which he’s locked into an strategy for the reason that starting of spring coaching and sticking with it, versus repeatedly on the lookout for patches the way in which he did in that troublesome 2022.
“More so than my pitching performances, I’m just glad the team’s winning,” mentioned Kikuchi. “I’m glad I’m able to help the team earn wins.”
He did that in opposition to the Pirates, highlighting how far, in between visits to Pittsburgh, he’s come.
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