The baseball world is still reeling over the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/29/the-toronto-blue-jays-nailed-the-yusei-kikuchi-trade-return-from-the-houston-astros/">massive return</a> that Yusei Kikuchi netted the Toronto Blue Jays, which saw them pick up outfielder Joey Loperfido, infield prospect Will Wagner and pitching prospect Jake Bloss from the Houston Astros.

<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" max-length="2" placement-id="2110" context="web-content-promocard" property-id="330"></div>
An undeniable haul, the Blue Jays and their fan base <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/29/the-toronto-blue-jays-nailed-the-yusei-kikuchi-trade-return-from-the-houston-astros/">have felt good</a> about things since the deal was consummated earlier this week. Wagner and Bloss were assigned to the Triple-A Bisons, with the latter heading to the organization&#8217;s complex in Dunedin, Fla., for an organizational introduction before entering games.
Loperfido, meanwhile, joined the Blue Jays in Baltimore earlier this week, going one-for-five at the plate in his first game with the team. He made his second start Friday against the Yankees, batting second in the lineup, and has been excellent so far, tripling in his first plate appearance, scoring when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove him in with a single. In the bottom of the second, he made a great play in the outfield to rally a ball home, getting Gleyber Torres out at the plate. He singled in his second plate appearance, getting driven in by Spencer Horwitz shortly thereafter, but struck out in his third.
Kikuchi, meanwhile, made his first start for the Astros on Friday, and certainly made <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/30/even-astros-fans-think-they-got-fleeced-in-the-kikuchi-trade/">Houston fans feel a bit better</a> about the trade. Facing a team he knows well, the Tampa Bay Rays, Kikuchi threw five and two-third innings, allowing two earned runs off three walks and as many hits.
Decent numbers for what they are, but Kikuchi struck out a staggering 11 of 22 batters he faced, generating a career-high 26 whiffs. It included a stretch between the top of the third and top of the fifth where he fanned eight in a row, sitting down Dylan Carlson, Brandon Lowe, Christopher Morel, Curtis Mead, Jonny DeLuca, Jose Siri, Jose Caballero and Alex Jackson, the second through ninth batters in the order.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Yusei Kikuchi Astros debut:
5.2 IP 2 ER 11 Ks 3 H 3 BB 26 whiffs (career-high)
He struck out 8 consecutive hitters.
 <a href="https://t.co/2n2J5N0CaA">pic.twitter.com/2n2J5N0CaA</a>
&mdash; Underdog MLB (@Underdog__MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/Underdog__MLB/status/1819550370169082030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Yusei Kikuchi&#39;s 6th, 7th and 8th Consecutive Ks. 😯
10Ks thru 5. <a href="https://t.co/IxRGBuwOec">pic.twitter.com/IxRGBuwOec</a>
&mdash; Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1819544513456886196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
It marked Kikuchi&#8217;s sixth game where he&#8217;s had double-digit strikeouts, only <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/instant-reaction-blue-jays-blow-ninth-inning-lead-in-series-opener-with-giants">one of which came with the Blue Jays</a>.
Houston was in dire need of a strong arm in the rotation, with Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy out for the year, and Luis Garcia, Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers all dealing with a variety of injuries and ailments. In fact, they&#8217;ve had 11 different players start games for them this season, with Spencer Arrighetti, Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown starting between 19 and 21 games, respectively, this season.
<hr />
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
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The baseball world is still reeling over the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/29/the-toronto-blue-jays-nailed-the-yusei-kikuchi-trade-return-from-the-houston-astros/">massive return</a> that Yusei Kikuchi netted the Toronto Blue Jays, which saw them pick up outfielder Joey Loperfido, infield prospect Will Wagner and pitching prospect Jake Bloss from the Houston Astros.


<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" max-length="2" placement-id="2110" context="web-content-promocard" property-id="330"></div>
An undeniable haul, the Blue Jays and their fan base <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/29/the-toronto-blue-jays-nailed-the-yusei-kikuchi-trade-return-from-the-houston-astros/">have felt good</a> about things since the deal was consummated earlier this week. Wagner and Bloss were assigned to the Triple-A Bisons, with the latter heading to the organization's complex in Dunedin, Fla., for an organizational introduction before entering games.

Loperfido, meanwhile, joined the Blue Jays in Baltimore earlier this week, going one-for-five at the plate in his first game with the team. He made his second start Friday against the Yankees, batting second in the lineup, and has been excellent so far, tripling in his first plate appearance, scoring when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove him in with a single. In the bottom of the second, he made a great play in the outfield to rally a ball home, getting Gleyber Torres out at the plate. He singled in his second plate appearance, getting driven in by Spencer Horwitz shortly thereafter, but struck out in his third.

Kikuchi, meanwhile, made his first start for the Astros on Friday, and certainly made <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/07/30/even-astros-fans-think-they-got-fleeced-in-the-kikuchi-trade/">Houston fans feel a bit better</a> about the trade. Facing a team he knows well, the Tampa Bay Rays, Kikuchi threw five and two-third innings, allowing two earned runs off three walks and as many hits.

Decent numbers for what they are, but Kikuchi struck out a staggering 11 of 22 batters he faced, generating a career-high 26 whiffs. It included a stretch between the top of the third and top of the fifth where he fanned eight in a row, sitting down Dylan Carlson, Brandon Lowe, Christopher Morel, Curtis Mead, Jonny DeLuca, Jose Siri, Jose Caballero and Alex Jackson, the second through ninth batters in the order.

https://twitter.com/Underdog__MLB/status/1819550370169082030

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1819544513456886196

&nbsp;

It marked Kikuchi's sixth game where he's had double-digit strikeouts, only <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/instant-reaction-blue-jays-blow-ninth-inning-lead-in-series-opener-with-giants">one of which came with the Blue Jays</a>.

Houston was in dire need of a strong arm in the rotation, with Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy out for the year, and Luis Garcia, Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers all dealing with a variety of injuries and ailments. In fact, they've had 11 different players start games for them this season, with Spencer Arrighetti, Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown starting between 19 and 21 games, respectively, this season.

<hr />

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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