Former Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi Drawing Lots of Interest in Free Agency

Yusi Kikuchi has become one of the most sought-after starting pitchers on the open market, considering the Houston Astros were unable to give him a qualifying offer after acquiring him in a midseason trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Jun 23, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The treasure trove of starting pitchers that hit free agency this week is extensive, but some are already drawing more interest than others.

Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Blake Snell are highest-profile arms out there. Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Nathan Eovaldi, Frankie Montas, Nick Pivetta, Walker Buehler, Nick Martinez and Jose Quintana are also free agents, as are elder statesmen Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

According to agent Scott Boras, though, one of his clients as already asserted himself as one of the most sought-after players on the open market.

Yusei Kikuchi.

The 33-year-old left-hander went 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.933 WHIP and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings after getting sent from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Houston Astros at this summer's deadline. Kikuchi was an All-Star with the Seattle Mariners in 2021, and he went 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA with the Blue Jays in 2023.

However, because Kikuchi was a midseason acquisition, he was ineligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Astros. As a result, teams can sign him without sacrificing any draft pick compensation.

Boras made the claim at the MLB General Manager Meetings that the lack of a qualifying offer has made Kikuchi a more attractive free agent than his production and resume would otherwise suggest.

"Without having a qualifying offer, you see a whole menu of teams that would not normally be participating for a starter at that level," Boras said, per The Athletic's Chandler Rome. "For that reason, he's one of the most sought-after players in free agency."

Burnes, Fired, Manaea, Severino, Pivetta and Martinez are all tied to qualifying offers from their previous teams.

According to Spotrac, the market value for Kikuchi's next contract is $14.9 million over one season. MLB Trade Rumors predicted Kikuchi would land a three-year, $60 million deal, while The Athletic put him down for three years and $63 million.

Since leaving Japan for MLB in 2019, Kikuchi has racked up $79 million in career earnings. He first inked a three-year, $43 million deal with the Mariners, then joined the Blue Jays on a three-year, $36 million contract.

It remains to be seen if Kikuchi can score another contract in that range, considering his age and Boras' spotty track record as of late. His two most prominent pitching clients to hit free agency last year, Snell and Jordan Montgomery, didn't sign until Spring Training and wound up signing short-term, below-market, "prove-it" deals.

Kikuchi will try to buck that trend this winter, and it appears as if he is already generating enough interest to warrant some competitive negotiations.

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