Yusei KikuchiLAA · SP

2026 review

Yusei Kikuchi allowed hard contact most of the season, his 45.9 Hard% over 205 BBE the 3rd highest of 517 pitchers with 100+ BF, and it showed in the results: a 4.92 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 67.2 IP over 14 starts, with a 22.0 K% and a 9.8 BB% over 305 BF. He went on the 15-day IL May 3 (retroactive to Apr 30) with left shoulder inflammation, was transferred to the 60-day IL May 22, took rehab assignments on Jul 29, Aug 3 and Aug 15, and missed 115 regular-season days before he was activated Aug 23. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 344, he finished 1167th of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 823 spots below, and 194th of 236 starting pitchers. His ERA ran higher before the stint than after, 5.81 in 31.0 IP before it and 4.17 in 36.2 IP after he came back. The TDK LABS card followed the shoulder saga: by early Aug it had him on the 60-day IL with rough early rehab outings; by mid Sep, back from the injury, it noted a sharp recent stretch; and by late Sep it had him working through a command rough patch.