Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that free-agent LHP Yusei Kikuchi has agreed to a three-year, $63 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
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This is the first major signing of the offseason and should look to set the market in motion as the baseline for starting pitchers. Kikuchi earned this contract on the strength of a strong second half of the 2024 season that saw him change his pitch mix and pitch to a 2.70 ERA after he was traded to the Houston Astros. On the season, he had a 4.05 ERA overall over 175 innings, striking out 206 batters. The Angels, always in need of pitching, signed him in hopes that he could be an anchor in their young pitching rotation.
David Melendi of MMO did a free-agent profile of Kikuchi as a possible Mets target due to their need to fill the rotation with quality arms after losing three of their starters to free agency. With Kikuchi off the board, the Mets will continue to look elsewhere to stabilize their rotation.
This deal should have an effect on the type of deal Sean Manaea will get. They’re not the same pitcher, but both left-handed pitchers who are around the same age and made changes to their pitching styles, profiles, and locations in the middle of 2024. Manaea will probably be looking at this deal as a floor to even start negotiations, given he’s a couple years younger than Kikuchi. Manaea, however, has a qualifying offer attached, which may limit his market.
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