LA Angels land pitcher Yusei Kikuchi on 3-year $63 million deal, fans react

The Los Angeles Angels have signed veteran pitcher Yusei Kikuchi on a three-year $63 million deal as they look to strengthen the team.

LA Angels land pitcher Yusei Kikuchi on 3-year $63 million deal, fans react

Yusei Kikuchi (Image via Reuters)

The Los Angeles Angels are not slowing down at the moment. After a poor 2024 season where they finished with a 63-99 record, the Anaheim-based franchise is looking to bolster its roster for the 2025 season. They have now landed Yusei Kikuchi on a 3-year $63 million deal.

So far the Angels have been the most aggressive team in the offseason. While other teams are looking to spend big on marquee free agents such as Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, the Angels have continued to add some experienced players to their clubhouse.

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The team made the first move of the offseason by signing Jorge Soler as soon as the postseason was over. They would later sign right-hander Kyle Hendriks on a one-year $2.5 million deal.

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As for the offense the team has signed shortstop Kevin Newman and catcher Travis d’Arnaud, with the latter joining the team on a two-year $12 million contract. Kikuchi’s signing is their fifth one this postseason.

Given his experience in the big leagues, Kikuchi could become the ace pitcher of the Angels going forward. In the 2024 season, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros.

He went 4-9 with the Blue Jays in 22 starts and had an ERA of 4.75 while picking up 130 strikeouts. As for the Astros, he went 5-1 in 10 starts and pitched with an ERA of 2.70 while managing to collect 76 strikeouts more. Overall, he wrapped up the campaign with a 9-10 record, 206 strikeouts and a 4.08 ERA.

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Social media reactions to LA Angels signing Yusei Kikuchi

The news of the Los Angeles Angels signing Yusei Kikuchi came as a surprise to some fans on social media. As the Angels aim to turn around their fortunes in 2025, they decided to splash the cash on an experienced pitcher to lead their pitching rotation.

Yusei Kikuchi
Yusei Kikuchi (Image via NBC Sports)

Fans on social media threw mixed reactions to this announcement. While some credited the team for their business this offseason, some once again laughed at them while trolling the franchise. One fan even asked whether the team was going to sign someone below the age of 30 or are they hoping to build a team full of veterans like the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.

Check out that and some more reactions from X below:

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Kikuchi will now join a pitching rotation that consists of lefty Tyler Anderson, right-handers José Soriano, Jack Kochanowicz, and Kyle Hendricks. A veteran rotation of him, Anderson, and Hendriks could help the team complete the 2025 season with a respectable finish.