Yusei Kikuchi will get the start on Canada Day for the Blue Jays

The Yusei Kikuchi Revenge Tour will be making an appearance on Canada Day.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced their probably starting pitcher for this weekend’s series with the Boston Red Sox. José Berríos will kick things off on Friday, Yusei Kikuchi will pitch on Canada Day on Saturday, and Kevin Gausman will take the mound in the series finale on Sunday.

The Red Sox will counter with James Paxton, Kutter Crawford, and Garrett Whitlock. It’s unfortunate that Paxton, a native of Ladner, British Columbia, isn’t lined up to start on Canada Day in Toronto. The lefty threw a no-hitter at the Rogers Centre in 2018 and became the first Canadian Major League pitcher to throw one in Canada.

Kikuchi pitching in a marquee game like Canada Day would have been inconceivable this time last year but the 32-year-old has completely turned things around this year. His last two starts have been among the best of his career as a Blue Jay (6 IP, 0 ER vs Miami and 7 IP, 1 ER vs Oakland) and Kikuchi now has a 3.75 ERA for the season.

The Blue Jays have a favourable schedule heading into the All-Star break. The Red Sox are coming to town on a five-game losing streak and the Blue Jays will hit the road to play a couple of non-playoff teams in the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers next week.

Toronto currently has a 45-37 record and they occupy the third wild-card spot in the American League. The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees are ahead of them while the Houston Astros are a half-game back and the Los Angeles Angels are a game-and-a-half back.