Yusei Kikuchi faces former team Astros, allows 5 runs in 5.2 innings, suffers 10th loss of the season

This season marks Kikuchi’s second appearance against his former team, the Houston Astros, where he played 10 games last year. Today, he started and gave up 5 earned runs in 5.2 innings. The Los Angeles Angels lost 3-8 to the Astros, handing Kikuchi his 10th defeat of the season and extending his streak of double-digit losses to two straight years.

In Kikuchi’s last outing versus the Astros, he pitched 7 innings with an impressive 9 strikeouts and only 2 runs allowed. However, in this rematch, he managed to keep a clean sheet only in the first inning; he gave up runs in each of the next five and a half innings (2nd through 6th). In the bottom of the 2nd, with one out and a 2-2 count, an 82 mph (approximately 132 km/h) slider caught the middle of the plate and was crushed over the fence by Ramón Urías for a home run. In the 3rd inning, Kikuchi allowed two doubles and gave up another run.

In the top of the 4th, the Angels’ lineup produced 3 hits in the inning, including 2 home runs, reclaiming the lead at 3-2. Unexpectedly, Kikuchi started the bottom of the 4th by giving up back-to-back hits, surrendering the lead again. In the bottom of the 5th, he again allowed two hits in one inning, letting the Astros take a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the 6th, after two outs, Kikuchi gave up the 8th hit of the game before being relieved. He threw 97 pitches in total over 5.2 innings, with 64 strikes, recording 6 strikeouts and 2 walks, allowing 8 hits, and was responsible for runners left on base.

The relief pitcher issued a walk followed by a double, extending the Astros’ lead to 5-3. This fifth run is charged to Kikuchi, making all 5 runs he allowed in this game earned. Over his last two starts, Kikuchi has pitched a combined 9.2 innings and given up 11 earned runs. The Angels lost 3-8, marking Kikuchi’s 10th loss of the season and continuing a recent stretch of four games without a win, including three losses.

This game marked Kikuchi’s 29th start this season, the most among major league starters, yet his record shows more losses than wins at 6-10. He has recorded at least 10 losses in two consecutive seasons. The last time he reached double-digit wins in a single season was in 2023, when he earned 11 victories — the only season with double-digit wins in his seven-year major league career.