TEMP, Ariz. — After signing a three-year $63 million contract with the Angels at the beginning of the offseason, the club announced Yusei Kikuchi will be the Opening Day starter.
“It's obvious,” manager Ron Washington said. “We just signed him to a big contract. We didn't bring him here to be four or five. We didn't bring him here to be three or two. We brought him here to lead our staff.
Kikuchi has been operating on a different schedule compared to the rest of the Angels starting pitchers this spring, partly to prepare for the Opening Day nod and also because of his personal preference. Washington said that Kikuchi will not be a part of the first five starters to open Cactus League games, but will join the next rotation of five starters. Kikuchi was the first Angels pitcher to throw two innings of live batting practice.
“Since two years ago, we’ve had a plan about just going at my pace and taking things slow just because if I throw too much and I ramp up too quickly, it’s not good for my shoulder or elbow,” Kikuchi said. “Instead of throwing every four or five days, I feel like going every six days will be better for my build-up.
“Ever since January, I've kind of been told to plan to throw opening day. So based on that, I was able to create my practice plan and routine from there and can't wait to get going.”
Kikuchi becomes the eighth different Angels Opening Day starter in the last 10 years. He joins Trevor Cahill as the only other pitcher to get the nod in his first season with the Angels in that same span.
“Very happy and honored,” Kikuchi said. “I'm hoping that we can just get off to a good start starting from game one.”
Kikuchi was the Houston Astros’ best starting pitcher once he got traded there from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year’s trade deadline, posting a 2.70 ERA in his 10 starts with the Astros. His ERA on the season as a whole was 4.05 in 32 starts.
The success Kikuchi saw as an Astro was largely because he used his breaking pitches more and his fastball less. In July of 2024, he threw his fastball 55.2% of the time, his slider 20% and his curveball 11.9%. By September, he threw his fastball 36.6% of the time, his slider 38.9% and his curveball 15.4%.
As much of an honor as it is for Kikuchi to be named the Opening Day starter, he’s treating it like any other start.
“I was just told that I was going to start today, explicitly,” Kikuchi said. “I’m not feeling that kind of pressure right now, but it is just one game at the end of the day. What’s most important is the starts over a 30 to 32-start season and being able to stay healthy and put up the numbers.”