Yusei Kikuchi Could Have Next Start Skipped
5 years agoSeattle Mariners manager Scott Servais will sit down with starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to lay out a plan for his next scheduled start on Tuesday against the Astros. There is a possibility that his start will be skipped completely. The M's indicated at the start of the year that they wanted to limit the 27-year-old's workload in his first season in the majors by using one-inning starts around once a month. The left-hander threw an inning on April 26, and he's due for another break. Kikuchi has also gone just 3 1/3 innings in each of his last two starts while allowing 20 hits and 11 runs (10 earned) in those two games. His velocity has been a bit down in his last two outings as well. Prospect Justus Sheffield filled in for Kikuchi last month, but he's slated to throw on Saturday in the minors. Jon Niese and Anthony Misiewicz could be options for the spot start. Kikuchi is 3-3 with a 4.43 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 67 innings over his 13 starts in his first year with Seattle.
Source: MLB.com - Greg Johns
Source: MLB.com - Greg Johns