Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi might be making his final start for the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday as they open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers.
With Kikuchi’s contract ending this season, there is significant speculation that the 33-year-old veteran could be traded before the deadline on Tuesday.
The Blue Jays’ playoff hopes took a hit following a 13-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, where they managed only two hits. This shutout marked their fourth of the season. Toronto has struggled with a 2-4 record during their current homestand, which wraps up against Texas.
Kikuchi, who will face a Rangers team coming off a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox, has been dealing with trade deadline pressure. “I’m thinking about the deadline,” Kikuchi said through interpreter Yusuke Oshima after a 7-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. “But every start out there, I tell myself, ‘I got to focus on the game.’ It’s tough, but I just have to go out there and do it.”
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Kikuchi (4-9, 4.54 ERA) has struggled recently, giving up 11 runs in his last two starts. In his career against the Rangers, he has a 3-1 record with a 4.91 ERA.
The Rangers will start left-hander Andrew Heaney (4-10, 3.60 ERA) in the opener. Heaney has a 2-1 record with a 6.55 ERA in six career appearances against Toronto. Despite a 2.81 ERA over his past 15 outings, Heaney has only a 4-7 record due to lack of run support from his teammates.
Texas has won five straight games and improved their position in the American League West by winning 14 of their last 20. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy praised his team’s resilience after a successful homestand.
Right-hander Max Scherzer struck out a season-high nine batters in six innings on Thursday, moving him to 10th place on the all-time strikeout list with 3,400.
The Rangers also reinstated right-hander Dane Dunning from the injured list on Thursday. Dunning, who is 4-7 with a 4.71 ERA this season, has returned to a bullpen role.
