MLB | Blue Jays Yusei Kikuchi – “it didn’t take much time for me to make my decision.”

Yusei Kikuchi spoke to the media after throwing a 40-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, one day after the left-hander joined what projects as formidable Toronto Blue Jays rotation that includes Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah.

Kikuchi’s $36 million USD, three-year deal was finalized Monday.

After going 6-4 with a 3.48 ERA for Seattle during the first half of the season and being selected to his first American League All-Star team last year, the Japanese lefty finished 7-9 with a 4.41 ERA and a career-high 163 strikeouts over 157 innings.

Toronto went 91-71 and just missed making the playoffs last year after playing home games in three different cities due to Canadian COVID-19 travel restrictions.