It&#8217;s Yusei Kikuchi&#8217;s time to shine. 
Coming off a career year, which he split between the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros last season, the 33-year-old entered free agency and ultimately landed with the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $63-million contract. He was handsomely rewarded for the impressive performance he delivered in 2024.
Now, he&#8217;s set to lead a rebuilding Angels staff in his first year with the franchise after<a href="https://x.com/Angels/status/1892662067720593428" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> being named their Opening Day starter on Thursday, per a club announcement</a>.
<blockquote>“It&#8217;s obvious,” manager Ron Washington told reporters, including <a href="https://www.thesportingtribune.com/2025/02/20/angels-name-yusei-kikuchi-as-the-opening-day-starter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sporting Tribune&#8217;s Jack Janes</a>, of naming Kikuchi as the club&#8217;s Opening Day starter. “We just signed him to a big contract. We didn&#8217;t bring him here to be four or five. We didn&#8217;t bring him here to be three or two. We brought him here to lead our staff.&#8221;</blockquote>
Kikuchi made 32 starts for the second consecutive season last year, logging a career-high 175.2 innings between Toronto and Houston. He earned a 4.05 ERA and 3.46 FIP, striking out almost a third of his batters faced &#8212; a 28-per-cent clip, the highest of his career &#8212; and producing a career-best six-per-cent walk rate.
The Japanese hurler accounted for 3.5 wins above replacement per FanGraphs, earning the highest rating of his six major league seasons. During the previous campaign, he revived his career with the Blue Jays while pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 4.12 FIP with 181 strikeouts over 167.2 innings, worth a 2.4 rating.
Trevor Cahill, who joined the Angels in 2019, his only season with the organization, is the only pitcher other than Kikuchi to receive the Opening Day nod during his inaugural campaign with the franchise in the last decade.
<blockquote>“Very happy and honoured,” Kikuchi said. “I&#8217;m hoping that we can just get off to a good start starting from game one.”</blockquote>
By design, Kikuchi has been ramping up differently than other Angels starters this spring. He&#8217;s operated on a unique throwing schedule thus far, helping him prepare for Opening Day and maintain his health throughout the course of a long, gruelling season.
The veteran southpaw won&#8217;t be among the Angels&#8217; first five starters to begin Cactus League games this weekend, according to Washington. But he will make his spring debut during the ensuing turn through the rotation.
<blockquote>“Since two years ago, we’ve had a plan about just going at my pace and taking things slow just because if I throw too much and I ramp up too quickly, it’s not good for my shoulder or elbow,” Kikuchi said. “Instead of throwing every four or five days, I feel like going every six days will be better for my build-up.
“Ever since January, I&#8217;ve kind of been told to plan to throw opening day. So based on that, I was able to create my practice plan and routine from there and can&#8217;t wait to get going.”</blockquote>
Kikuchi will soon have played for three of the five American League West teams, following three seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2019-21) upon arriving in North America and his brief stint in Houston last season.
The 2021 All-Star&#8217;s newest team will open exhibition action against one of his former clubs, the Mariners, on Saturday in Arizona.

It's Yusei Kikuchi's time to shine. 

Coming off a career year, which he split between the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros last season, the 33-year-old entered free agency and ultimately landed with the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $63-million contract. He was handsomely rewarded for the impressive performance he delivered in 2024.

Now, he's set to lead a rebuilding Angels staff in his first year with the franchise after<a href="https://x.com/Angels/status/1892662067720593428" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> being named their Opening Day starter on Thursday, per a club announcement</a>.
<blockquote>“It's obvious,” manager Ron Washington told reporters, including <a href="https://www.thesportingtribune.com/2025/02/20/angels-name-yusei-kikuchi-as-the-opening-day-starter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sporting Tribune's Jack Janes</a>, of naming Kikuchi as the club's Opening Day starter. “We just signed him to a big contract. We didn't bring him here to be four or five. We didn't bring him here to be three or two. We brought him here to lead our staff."</blockquote>
Kikuchi made 32 starts for the second consecutive season last year, logging a career-high 175.2 innings between Toronto and Houston. He earned a 4.05 ERA and 3.46 FIP, striking out almost a third of his batters faced -- a 28-per-cent clip, the highest of his career -- and producing a career-best six-per-cent walk rate.

The Japanese hurler accounted for 3.5 wins above replacement per FanGraphs, earning the highest rating of his six major league seasons. During the previous campaign, he revived his career with the Blue Jays while pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 4.12 FIP with 181 strikeouts over 167.2 innings, worth a 2.4 rating.

Trevor Cahill, who joined the Angels in 2019, his only season with the organization, is the only pitcher other than Kikuchi to receive the Opening Day nod during his inaugural campaign with the franchise in the last decade.
<blockquote>“Very happy and honoured,” Kikuchi said. “I'm hoping that we can just get off to a good start starting from game one.”</blockquote>
By design, Kikuchi has been ramping up differently than other Angels starters this spring. He's operated on a unique throwing schedule thus far, helping him prepare for Opening Day and maintain his health throughout the course of a long, gruelling season.

The veteran southpaw won't be among the Angels' first five starters to begin Cactus League games this weekend, according to Washington. But he will make his spring debut during the ensuing turn through the rotation.
<blockquote>“Since two years ago, we’ve had a plan about just going at my pace and taking things slow just because if I throw too much and I ramp up too quickly, it’s not good for my shoulder or elbow,” Kikuchi said. “Instead of throwing every four or five days, I feel like going every six days will be better for my build-up.

“Ever since January, I've kind of been told to plan to throw opening day. So based on that, I was able to create my practice plan and routine from there and can't wait to get going.”</blockquote>
Kikuchi will soon have played for three of the five American League West teams, following three seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2019-21) upon arriving in North America and his brief stint in Houston last season.

The 2021 All-Star's newest team will open exhibition action against one of his former clubs, the Mariners, on Saturday in Arizona.

Angels name former Blue Jay Yusei Kikuchi as 2025 Opening Day starter

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Petco Park

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