Yusei Kikuchi Could Be the Last Japanese Star to Come to Seattle Mariners
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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs rang in the 2025 series with the first of the two-game Tokyo Series on Tuesday morning at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. The Dodgers won, 4-1, kicking off their title defense in style.
The Seattle Mariners had the honor of opening the season in the 2019 iteration of the event against the Oakland Athletics. The Mariners won't travel to the eastern hemisphere this season, but a large part of the team's history is tied to Japan.
One of the most iconic players in Seattle history is Ichiro Suzuki, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27.
Suzuki made his major league debut in 2001. But the most recent successful Japanese-born player who began with the Mariners is one that is still enjoying the prime of his career in the American League West.
Yusei Kikuchi spent eight seasons with the Seibu Lions in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from 2011-18. He was a three-time NPB All-Star and led the Pacific League in ERA and wins in 2017. He came stateside and made his debut with Seattle in 2019.
Kikuchi pitched three seasons in the Pacific Northwest from 2019-21. He struggled his first two seasons with the Mariners and had ERAs above 5.00 in 2019 and 2020. He broke through in 2021 and made the All-Star game that year. He started 29 games and had a 4.41 ERA with 163 strikeouts in 157 innings pitched.
After opting out of his deal, he found more success with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded to the Mariners' biggest in-division rivals, the Houston Astros, on July 29 last season.
Kikuchi had arguably the best stretch of his career with Houston. He had a 2.70 ERA with the Astros in 10 starts. He fanned 76 batters in 60 innings pitched.
Kikuchi was able to get a big contract this past offseason and signed a three-year, $63.675 million contract with another one of Seattle's American League West rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. Entering Tuesday, Kikuchi has a 3.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts in two Cactus League starts.
Kikuchi hasn't received notoriety to the same level as fellow as Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who's also from Japan. But Kikuchi is still one of the better starting pitchers in the American League.
And unfortunately, as referenced by own Brady Farkas on the most recent "Refuse to Lose" podcast, he could be the last link for the M's to Japan's talent.
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