Yu Darvish & Kikuchi Yusei: Spring Training Velocity & Injury Concerns

PEORIA, Ariz. – Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi is ahead of schedule in his spring training preparation, facing live hitters on Wednesday in his first throwing session, according to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. The 34-year-old left-hander is slated to join Team Japan for the upcoming World Baseball Classic after departing Angels camp in the coming days.

Kikuchi’s early progress is particularly noteworthy after he finished his first season with the Angels with a left forearm cramp that forced him out of his final start on September 24, 2025. The Angels initially described the issue as a cramp and Kikuchi appears to have fully recovered during the offseason.

The Angels signed Kikuchi to a three-year, $63.68 million contract in November 2024, betting on his ability to provide stability to a rotation that desperately needs it. His 2025 campaign was a mixed bag. While he made all of his scheduled starts for a third consecutive season and logged over 165 innings, his performance didn’t entirely justify the investment.

Kikuchi finished 2025 with a 7-11 record, a 3.99 ERA, and a 1.42 WHIP. He struck out 174 batters, a positive sign, but struggled with control, allowing too much traffic on the bases which often led to bullpen challenges. His reliance on his slider, a pitch he began emphasizing after being acquired by Houston in 2024, continued, but he seemingly absorbed the Angels’ organizational culture, which, according to analysis, hasn’t fostered consistent winning baseball.

Fantasy managers who drafted Kikuchi in 2025 likely found him a frustrating asset. The strikeouts were valuable, but the high WHIP and lack of wins limited his overall impact. The Angels’ projected continued struggles in 2026 don’t offer much optimism for improved ratios or win totals.

Despite the challenges, Kikuchi remains a pitcher to monitor in the later rounds of fantasy drafts. His strikeout potential offers a glimmer of hope, particularly for managers seeking to bolster that category. However, relying on him for wins or improved ERA/WHIP figures appears risky, given his recent performance and the team’s outlook.

Kikuchi’s participation in the World Baseball Classic provides an early opportunity to gauge his velocity and command as he prepares for the 2026 season. Reports indicate he’s already showing improvement in velocity during spring training, a positive sign for both the Angels and fantasy owners.

The broader pitching landscape is seeing some shifts. Yu Darvish, another prominent Japanese pitcher, is facing injury challenges that will sideline him for all of 2026, according to reports. This further underscores the importance of depth and reliable options in fantasy rotations.

Dynasty league managers are also taking note of trends from 2025, with a renewed emphasis on identifying pitchers with outlier traits – elite velocity, movement, or extension – as those are often the keys to forcing an early promotion and delivering value. The unpredictable nature of prospect development was also highlighted, with some highly touted pitchers failing to pan out while others exceeded expectations.

The success of pitchers like Ryan Weathers, who saw a velocity increase in spring training last year, demonstrates the potential impact of even small improvements in key metrics. However, injuries remain a significant concern, as evidenced by the setbacks experienced by Logan Henderson and Noah Cameron, both of whom debuted as potential stash targets but ultimately failed to deliver consistent results.

Kikuchi’s situation exemplifies the challenges of evaluating pitchers in dynasty and redraft formats. While his underlying skills remain intriguing, his performance is heavily influenced by team context and his ability to consistently command his pitches. His early spring training progress offers a reason for cautious optimism, but fantasy managers should temper their expectations and focus on his strikeout potential as his primary source of value.