Former Seattle Mariners Pitcher Makes Baseball History in Houston Astros Debut
Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi made baseball history on Friday night in his debut with the rival Houston Astros.
Kikuchi, who was acquired in a trade deadline deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, went 5.2 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits. He struck out 11 batters including eight in a row at one point. The Astros beat the Rays 3-2.
Per @OptaSTATS on social media:
Yusei Kikuchi of the @Astros is the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out 8+ consecutive batters in his team debut.
Yusei Kikuchi of the @astros is the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out 8+ consecutive batters in his team debut. pic.twitter.com/MEgLpd2xfO
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 3, 2024
Mariners fans were often frustrated by Kikuchi's performances in Seattle, as he flashed great potential but wild inconsistencies. He joined the Mariners in 2019 and stayed through the 2021 season. In that 2021 season, he made the All-Star team based on a stellar first half, but then was removed from the rotation entirely as the M's chased a playoff berth that season. He left for Toronto the following offseason.
Lifetime, he's 36-46 with a 4.71 ERA. He does flash elite strikeout stuff, fanning 141 batters in 121.1 innings this year between Toronto and Houston.
The Mariners and Astros are currently deadlocked in a tie in the American League West, with the teams playing three critical games against each other in Houston later this year. Kikuchi's presence could go a long way toward helping decide the division crown.
The Mariners are 58-53 and coming off a win over the Philadelphia Phillies. They'll play the Phillies again tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT. The Astros will take on the Rays for game two of a series at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
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