The Toronto Blue Jays continue to blow up their team, while the Houston Astros gear up for their perennial playoff push. As a result, veteran southpaw Yusei Kikuchi will head to Houston to give the team a sorely needed veteran arm.
Toronto shipped out Kikuchi on Monday night, via ESPN's Jeff Passan.
“The Houston Astros have acquired left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN,” Passan reported. “Deal is done.”
The Seattle Mariners forced Houston's hand by making various moves, setting up a riveting race atop the AL West over the final two months of the season.
“The Astros' starting pitching has been ravaged by injuries this season, and with Seattle going out and getting Randy Arozarena, Justin Turner and Yimi Garcia, the Astros needed to make a move,” Passan continued. “Yusei Kikuchi was it, and @JimBowdenGM was first to say the deal with Toronto was near.”
The Astros are sending fellow starting pitcher Jake Bloss in return. The club settled for Kikuchi after initially targeting Detroit Tigers hurler Jack Flaherty, via USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
“The Astros had engaged earlier in talks with the Detroit Tigers for starter Jack Flaherty before pivoting to Kikuchi. @JimBowdenGM on it,” Nightengale tweeted.
Kikuchi is 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 22 starts this season. Meanwhile, Bloss was Houston's 2023 third-round pick and is 4-2 with a 1.64 ERA and 0.79 WHIP across 66 minor-league innings this year. The Georgetown alum has struggled in the big leagues, though, going 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA in 11.2 innings.
Who won the trade?
Yusei Kikuchi is a short-term improvement for the Astros
With Justin Verlander, Luis Garcia, Penn Murfee, Lance McCullers Jr., Oliver Ortega, Kendall Graveman, Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, and Bennett Sousa all injured, Houston desperately needed a veteran arm at the deadline to stay afloat. Verlander, Garcia, and Murfee are expected back in August, but the rest are either unlikely or confirmed to not be returning this year.
Kikuchi, though, is average at best. The southpaw is 36-46 over his career, with a 4.72 ERA and 1.377 WHIP. Bloss, on the other hand, has long-term upside, as he dominated minor-league hitters with little professional experience, and is just 23 years old.
While Kikuchi gives the Astros a lifeline, Bloss could eventually blossom into an above-average hurler for the Blue Jays.
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