Schneider: Kikuchi ‘awesome’ in first outing

Yusei Kikuchi got his 2023 season off to a nice start Tuesday night in Kansas City, limiting the Royals to one run in five innings as the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak.

Manager John Schneider said he was encouraged the left-hander was able to carry a strong spring training into the regular season as he aims to rebound from a disappointing 2022 campaign.

“Awesome job by [Kikuchi],” Schneider told reporters. “Efficient with his pitch count. [He was] around the zone. A few less strikeouts than we saw in the spring, but it was an outstanding job.”

Kikuchi was lights out in the lead-up to the regular season, pitching to a 0.87 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched over seven spring appearances. He limited the Royals to just three hits while only walking one and striking out two.

Before Kikuchi’s outing Tuesday, Toronto's starters had an ERA of 10.80 and a league-worst opponents’ batting average of .409.

“I think I threw well overall,” Kikuchi said to reporters through an interpreter. “I felt pretty good for it to be the first start of the season. We obviously had a plan, but we didn't want to overthink it. We wanted to find what was working today.”

Coming off an All-Star season with the Seattle Mariners in 2021, Kikuchi inked a three-year, $36 million deal with the Jays two off-seasons ago. He struggled mightily in his debut campaign north of the border, posting a 5.25 ERA as a starter before being removed from the rotation in August.

Blue Jays reliever Adam Cimber told Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun after Tuesday’s win he saw a change in Kikuchi from the beginning of camp.

“You could tell he was a different animal this spring. His stuff is way too nasty. He had a chip on his shoulder, and he just walked around different. I think everybody knew that he meant business,” Cimber told the Sun.

Daulton Varsho had two hits, including his first homer as a Blue Jay, while Matt Chapman and Danny Jansen also drove in runs in Toronto’s 4-1 victory.

Toronto will send Alek Manoah to the hill against Kansas City on Wednesday while the Royals will counter with former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.