Cleveland Guardians Urged To Trade For All-Star Strikeout Artist

The Cleveland Guardians will almost certainly acquire a starting pitcher before the MLB trade deadline, and this one hurler may be a realistic target.

Jul 20, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) pitches to the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports

Anyone who has a modicum of baseball knowledge understands that the Cleveland Guardians have to trade for at least one starting pitcher before the MLB trade deadline.

The Guardians are tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the best record in the American League, but they have one of the worst starting rotations in baseball.

If Cleveland wants to be taken seriously as a World Series contender, it needs to add another arm or two, and Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly has identified a seemingly realistic target for the club: Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.

Kikuchi isn't an ace by any means, but he is a better option than most of what the Guardians have trotted out in 2024.

The 33-year-old has gone 4-9 with a 4.54 ERA this season, allowing 117 hits while registering 125 strikeouts over 111 innings of work.

Kikuchi has always logged a fairly high strikeout rate, boasting a solid career average of 9.1 punchouts per nine innings.

The Japanese native began his big-league career with the Seattle Mariners in 2019 and spent three years there, making an All-Star appearance in 2021.

He then signed with the Blue Jays in March 2022.

Kikuchi enjoyed the best year of his big-league tenure last season, going 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA. Across 167.2 frames, he surrendered 165 hits while fanning 181 batters.

It's also important to note that Cleveland desperately needs a lefty in its rotation, as its one southpaw—Logan Allen—was sent down to the minors.

Kikuchi likely wouldn't cost much, and while only landing him wouldn't exactly be a great deadline haul for the Guardians, it would be a decent start.