Blue Jays’ Yusei Kikuchi heading to Houston in trade for rookie pitcher

Yusei Kikuchi is headed to Houston.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced Monday night that the club has sent the 33-year-old left-handed pitcher to the Astros in return for a package that includes Houston’s 23-year-old rookie right-hander Jake Bloss.

The deal was confirmed by the club as the team played its second game of a doubleheader in Baltimore against the Orioles. During the first game — an 11-5 Orioles victory — the Jays dealt veteran infielder/D-H Josh Turner to the Seattle Mariners for outfield prospect R-J Schreck.

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Toronto also received outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner in sending Kikuchi to Houston.

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Bloss has already made three starts for the Astros, striking out 11 in almost 12 innings of work, while allowing nine runs on 16 hits and three walks. Loperfido, 25, appeared in 38 games with the Astros this year and batted .236 with two home runs and 16 RBIs.

Wagner, the son of former MLB pitcher Billy Wagner, has spent this season in triple-A Sugar Land.

Kikuchi, like a lot of his teammates, wasn’t having a stellar season. He’s registered a 4.75 ERA with 130 strikeouts over 115 2/3 innings and only 30 walks. Kikuchi is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million pact he signed with the Blue Jays in 2022. He started a league-leading 22 games this season.

The addition of Kikuchi fills a void in the Astros’ rotation that has been decimated by injuries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2024.