Report: Blue Jays Sign Starter Yusei Kikuchi

The Blue Jays have added to their rotation, signing lefty starter Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year deal, per Jon Heyman

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays rotation is complete.

Adding their second starter of the offseason, the Jays have signed lefty Yusei Kikuchi, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman. A former Mariner, Kikuchi joins Toronto on a three-year, $36 million deal. The deal is frontloaded, with a 16/10/10 breakdown over the span of the contract, per Bob Nightengale.

Kikuchi joins a Blue Jays rotation already containing big-ticket free agent Kevin Gausman, 2021 acquisition José Berríos, plus Alek Manoah and Hyun Jin Ryu. Toronto's rotation already projected as one of the best in the American League, and it just got deeper.

Kikuchi earned his first career All-Star appearance last year after posting a mid-threes ERA before the All-Star break. The Japanese lefty did have some struggles in the second half, however, posting a 5.98 ERA in the back half of the season while opponents hit .300 against him.

Kikuchi owns a career 4.97 ERA in three seasons in Major League Baseball but struggled with hard contact in 2021. After the season, the lefty opted out of his contract with the Mariners and his agent, Scott Boras, claimed he was a priority for multiple organizations entering the offseason. 

“How many teams wouldn’t want an All-Star pitcher on their staff?” Boras told the Seattle Times. “Teams are coming to us and letting us know that he is a priority for them, because they need starting pitching."

With Kikuchi joining the Jays, other rotation options like Ross Stripling and Nate Pearson likely file into bullpen or depth roles. With expanded rosters at the beginning of the season and the innings build-up of starters an unknown, having capable bulk pitchers beyond a traditional five-man rotation will be valuable for teams across the league in the early months of the season.

H/T Jon Heyman, Bob Nightenale