Angels view Yusei Kikuchi as Opening Day starter and leader

Angels view Yusei Kikuchi as Opening Day starter and leader

The 33-year-old left-hander, who is the team's biggest free-agent pitcher signing in 13 years, will get the start March 27 against the White Sox in Chicago

New Face Gets the Call for Angels Opening Day Start

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington has named left-hander Yusei Kikuchi the team’s Opening Day starter for their March 27 matchup against the Chicago White Sox, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. Washington didn’t have to think too long to name Kikuchi the starter this early into spring training, who called it an “obvious” choice.” “I didn’t tell him, it’s just obvious,” Washington said. “We just signed him to a big contr…

[Tempe, Arizona, Kyodo News] It was announced on the 20th that Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels will be the opening pitcher for this season. Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers and Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs have already been scheduled to pitch against each other as starters in the opening game to be held in Japan, making this the third time that three Japanese players will start in the same season.