Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi will wear a Major League Baseball (MLB) LA Angels uniform.

"Kikuchi signed a three-year, 63 million-dollar free agent contract with the Angels," MLB's official website "MLB Dotcom" reported on Wednesday (Korea time). Kikuchi started his season with the Toronto Blue Jays this year and was traded to the Houston Astros in August.

Kikuchi moved to the Seattle Mariners in 2019 and made the big league debut. In 2022, he signed a three-year, $36 million contract with Toronto.

He performed poorly in Toronto this year. He played in 22 games through July, winning four and losing nine with an earned run average of 4.75. He moved to Houston through trade from August.

Kikuchi's pitching power began to revive in Houston. Kikuchi pitched 10 games, recording 5 wins and 1 loss with a 2.70 ERA, raising his ransom ahead of the FA.

The Angels recorded 63 wins and 99 losses in the 2024 season, staying at the bottom of the American League West. They plan to recruit left-hander Kikuchi to make a comeback in the next season. 안전놀이터