There may not be a member of the Toronto Blue Jays who changed their perception in the market faster than Yusei Kikuchi.
Looking back on his short tenure with the Blue Jays, this is someone who was unpitchable at the end of his first year of his contract, to the coaching staff falling over themselves to wedge Kikuchi into a playoff game (to their detriment), to finishing as the Blue Jays starter with the third highest strikeout percentage in franchise history.
Yes, Yusei Kikuchi was all three guys. He had a monster start to the season and tailed off the last few months. But the Blue Jays still got a decent haul for somebody who&#8217;s a free agent at the end of the year. In fact, most experts believe Toronto got way more than they should have for Kikuchi.
There&#8217;s no such thing as take-backsies after the MLB trade deadline, but the Houston Astros were starving for starting pitching and were willing to give up three of their Top 30 prospects for the left-hander.
While most Blue Jays fans are pleased with the return of Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner, on the opposite side of the deal, many Astros fans are livid about paying such a high price in prospect capital for a rental starting pitcher.
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/comment/lfkz83e/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Christop_McC/">u/Christop_McC</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/nicholson_smith_bluejays_are_getting_jake_bloss/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/">Astros</a></blockquote>
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I mean, this is the same organization that traded Teoscar Hernandez for two months of Francisco Liriano.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You better be nothing short of amazing. We mortgaged our future to rent you for 2 months.
— James (@tiredofthemall) <a href="https://twitter.com/tiredofthemall/status/1818130830918656218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
The Astros sorely need the help in their rotation, so it shouldn&#8217;t take long for him to become their number one or number two starter.
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/comment/lfl2bmt/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Christop_McC/">u/Christop_McC</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/nicholson_smith_bluejays_are_getting_jake_bloss/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/">Astros</a></blockquote>
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Thanks and also sorry, I guess?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/SdUkbkkWkM">pic.twitter.com/SdUkbkkWkM</a>
— Mayhem (@Mayh3mRoX) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mayh3mRoX/status/1818123998493905276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Remember what I said, Houston, no take-backsies!
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efk4c8/comment/lflnqqk/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Lukealloneword/">u/Lukealloneword</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efk4c8/kikuchi_trade/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/">Astros</a></blockquote>
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In a paper, this trade would&#8217;ve made a lot more sense for the Astros if Kikuchi continued to pitch the way he did in April and mid-May. That must be the cost of doing business for a starting pitcher at this year&#8217;s trade deadline.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shambles of a trade. Nothing against Yusei Kikuchi &#8211; I hope he proves all of us wrong &#8211; but this is astonishingly bad.
— Astros Fans UK (@AstrosFansUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstrosFansUK/status/1818122479530901673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
By all means, this trade looks a lot better for the Astros if Kikuchi pitches well for them down the stretch and throws important innings in the playoffs. Otherwise, it was definitely an overpay.
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/comment/lfkz5kt/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ThQp/">u/ThQp</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/">baseball</a></blockquote>
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Karma works in mysterious ways.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I wouldn’t have made this trade for the best pitcher in the MLB. This is—hands down—the worst trade I’ve ever seen in 40 years of religious baseball viewership.
— Brian Satterwhite (@bmsatter) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmsatter/status/1818125183925776845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
See previous comment regarding Teoscar Hernandez.
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/comment/lfkz7bg/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ThQp/">u/ThQp</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/">baseball</a></blockquote>
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Wait, I thought Toronto was the only market where fans had disdain for the front office?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DANA BROWN IS WORSE THEN CASHMAN <a href="https://t.co/vxBUcSy8Am">pic.twitter.com/vxBUcSy8Am</a>
— Avi (@SauberAvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/SauberAvi/status/1818122426791715014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Maybe I live too much inside the Blue Jays bubble, but it&#8217;s kind of refreshing to see other fan bases scrutinizing their own general manager&#8217;s transactions.
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/comment/lflg6cd/">Comment</a> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ThQp/">u/ThQp</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/"></a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/">baseball</a></blockquote>
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Typically, most fans would be happy about getting Major League reinforcements for their team, but some think otherwise.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hey media manager, let the front office know that we want them gone. Thank you 🙏
— UmmOkayThen (@UmmOkThen7) <a href="https://twitter.com/UmmOkThen7/status/1818124684761657528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
As a long-suffering Toronto sports person, a certain subset of Blue Jays fans can sympathize with how Astros faithful feel after this trade.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Can’t say it’s too often I’m ashamed to be an Astros fan, but today is one of those days. A horrible trade which will negatively impact our team in the future. And we lost the game too.
— Pancho Cream (@CreamMoneyTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/CreamMoneyTeam/status/1818123346174714317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
It&#8217;s been a wild ride of a season for the Astros to date, but I can&#8217;t imagine feeling worse about this trade than back in mid-June when they were 10 games out of the AL West division lead.

There may not be a member of the Toronto Blue Jays who changed their perception in the market faster than Yusei Kikuchi.

Looking back on his short tenure with the Blue Jays, this is someone who was unpitchable at the end of his first year of his contract, to the coaching staff falling over themselves to wedge Kikuchi into a playoff game (to their detriment), to finishing as the Blue Jays starter with the third highest strikeout percentage in franchise history.

Yes, Yusei Kikuchi was all three guys. He had a monster start to the season and tailed off the last few months. But the Blue Jays still got a decent haul for somebody who's a free agent at the end of the year. In fact, most experts believe Toronto got way more than they should have for Kikuchi.

There's no such thing as take-backsies after the MLB trade deadline, but the Houston Astros were starving for starting pitching and were willing to give up three of their Top 30 prospects for the left-hander.

While most Blue Jays fans are pleased with the return of Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner, on the opposite side of the deal, many Astros fans are livid about paying such a high price in prospect capital for a rental starting pitcher.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/nicholson_smith_bluejays_are_getting_jake_bloss/lfkz83e/

I mean, this is the same organization that traded Teoscar Hernandez for two months of Francisco Liriano.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You better be nothing short of amazing. We mortgaged our future to rent you for 2 months.
— James (@tiredofthemall) <a href="https://twitter.com/tiredofthemall/status/1818130830918656218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
The Astros sorely need the help in their rotation, so it shouldn't take long for him to become their number one or number two starter.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efgvm9/nicholson_smith_bluejays_are_getting_jake_bloss/lfl2bmt/

Thanks and also sorry, I guess?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/SdUkbkkWkM">pic.twitter.com/SdUkbkkWkM</a>
— Mayhem (@Mayh3mRoX) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mayh3mRoX/status/1818123998493905276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Remember what I said, Houston, no take-backsies!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/1efk4c8/kikuchi_trade/lflnqqk/

In a paper, this trade would've made a lot more sense for the Astros if Kikuchi continued to pitch the way he did in April and mid-May. That must be the cost of doing business for a starting pitcher at this year's trade deadline.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shambles of a trade. Nothing against Yusei Kikuchi - I hope he proves all of us wrong - but this is astonishingly bad.
— Astros Fans UK (@AstrosFansUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstrosFansUK/status/1818122479530901673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
By all means, this trade looks a lot better for the Astros if Kikuchi pitches well for them down the stretch and throws important innings in the playoffs. Otherwise, it was definitely an overpay.

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/lfkz5kt/

Karma works in mysterious ways.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I wouldn’t have made this trade for the best pitcher in the MLB. This is—hands down—the worst trade I’ve ever seen in 40 years of religious baseball viewership.
— Brian Satterwhite (@bmsatter) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmsatter/status/1818125183925776845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
See previous comment regarding Teoscar Hernandez.

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/lfkz7bg/

Wait, I thought Toronto was the only market where fans had disdain for the front office?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DANA BROWN IS WORSE THEN CASHMAN <a href="https://t.co/vxBUcSy8Am">pic.twitter.com/vxBUcSy8Am</a>
— Avi (@SauberAvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/SauberAvi/status/1818122426791715014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Maybe I live too much inside the Blue Jays bubble, but it's kind of refreshing to see other fan bases scrutinizing their own general manager's transactions.

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1efgv23/davidi_yusei_kikuchi_deal_to_astros_done_blue/lflg6cd/

Typically, most fans would be happy about getting Major League reinforcements for their team, but some think otherwise.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hey media manager, let the front office know that we want them gone. Thank you 🙏
— UmmOkayThen (@UmmOkThen7) <a href="https://twitter.com/UmmOkThen7/status/1818124684761657528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
As a long-suffering Toronto sports person, a certain subset of Blue Jays fans can sympathize with how Astros faithful feel after this trade.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Can’t say it’s too often I’m ashamed to be an Astros fan, but today is one of those days. A horrible trade which will negatively impact our team in the future. And we lost the game too.
— Pancho Cream (@CreamMoneyTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/CreamMoneyTeam/status/1818123346174714317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
It's been a wild ride of a season for the Astros to date, but I can't imagine feeling worse about this trade than back in mid-June when they were 10 games out of the AL West division lead.

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