Blue Jays' Kikuchi to Start Spring Opener
Yusei Kikuchi has been announced as the starting pitcher for the Blue Jays' first game of the 2023 Grapefruit League season on Saturday.
The left-hander will take the ball opposite Mitch Keller of the Pirates, and plenty of eyeballs will be watching Kikuchi very closely. After signing a three-year, $36-million contract last winter, the 31-year-old was a disappointment with Toronto in 2022, pitching to a 5.19 ERA over 100.2 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen.
The pressure will be amplified in Kikuchi's second season with the Jays, as his rotation spot is no longer guaranteed. It's likely he begins as Toronto's fifth starter, though a few disastrous spring outings could relegate him to a long-relief role, with Mitch White assuming the final starting spot.
Kikuchi likely won't pitch more than an inning or two Saturday as he ramps up his pitch count. Velocity won't be an issue for him, but it'll be worth monitoring fastball and breaking ball command, especially if runners get on base.
The Blue Jays-Pirates game begins at 1:05 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on Sportsnet for Canadian viewers and ATT Sportsnet-PIT in the United States.
