Guardians Urged To Pursue All-Star Strikeout Artist

The Cleveland Guardians may want to pursue this star pitcher in MLB free agency.

Aug 7, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) comes off the field after he pitches against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians are in obvious need of starting pitching, so you would think that addressing the rotation would be priority No. 1 for the Guardians heading into the offseason.

There should be a plethora of options available for Cleveland this winter, and perhaps one of the most intriguing options will be Houston Astros left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.

In a piece where Quincy Wheeler of Covering The Corner discusses the Guardians' upcoming offseason, he lists Kikuchi among a group of higher-end pitchers the team should consider in free agency.

Given that Cleveland was pegged as a potential landing spot for Kikuchi back at the trade deadline, this is not too surprising.

Kikuchi split the 2024 campaign between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Astros, going 9-10 with a 4.05 ERA while allowing 167 hits and registering 206 strikeouts over 175.2 innings of work.

The strikeouts are obviously appealing, and the 33-year-old has averaged over a punchout per inning throughotu his big-league career.

Kikuchi also made an All-Star appearance with the Seattle Mariners back in 2021.

The Japanese native certainly isn't an ace, but he is a very solid middle-of-the-rotation starter who would unquestionably provide the Guardians with a significant boost.

His 3.46 FIP this past season was particularly impressive, and in 2023, he logged a 3.86 ERA.

Of course, price matters here. Cleveland is a very cost-conscious organization, and it doesn't seem all that likely to splurge on a No. 3 starter.

But if Kikuchi is relatively affordable, the Guardians would be wise to pounce.