ARLINGTON, Texas — The Angels’ run of impressive starting pitching performances from their rotation of 20-somethings came to an end with the return of 35-year-old Yusei Kikuchi on Sunday.
After more than three months on the injured list, Kikuchi came back to allow five runs in five innings of the Angels’ 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Even though Kikuchi had a 15.63 ERA in four minor league rehab starts, he insisted that his stuff was big league ready. The Angels, who watched him throw two bullpen sessions this week, apparently agreed. They put him back into the rotation as the sixth starter.
The other five had been on a hot streak coming into this game. George Klassen, Walbert Ureña, Grayson Rodriguez, Reid Detmers and Ryan Johnson had combined to allow three earned runs in 32 innings in the first five games of this trip.
Kikuchi gave up three runs in the second inning, and then two more in the fifth, ending his day.
Kikuchi gave up seven hits, including five that were hit harder than 98 mph. He gave up homers to Elias Diaz and Ezequiel Duran.
His fastball averaged 96 mph, which was slightly up from when he pitched in April, before going down with shoulder inflammation.
Kikuchi also shelved his cutter, which was a new pitch he added this season. He threw only his fastball, curve, splitter and slider.
That fits with the philosophy of interim pitching coach Tim Leveque, who has been having pitchers throw their best pitches more often.
The Angels (52-78) will have the final month of the season to figure out what they want to do with Kikuchi going forward. He’s in the second year of a three-year, $63-million deal.
Kikuchi has only made eight starts, with a 6.25 ERA, in this injury-marred season. It’s not enough to presume that can’t be productive, even if the younger pitchers look better at the moment.
When Kikuchi left the Angels were down 5-0 and showing no signs of life at the plate, which is how they’ve looked for most of the past month.
They woke up in the eighth to make things interesting. Zach Neto led off the inning with a homer, his 22nd of the season. An out later, Moisés Ballesteros singled, his second hit of the game, and then Vaughn Grissom doubled. A Josh Lowe sacrifice fly knocked in one and then Gustavo Campero’s bloop single drove in another.
José Siri hit a fly ball to the warning track, ending the inning.
In the ninth, Christian Moore led off with a double against Rangers closer Jacob Latz, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Denzer Guzman struck out and Neto hit a flyout. The Rangers intentionally walked Mike Trout and then Ballesteros struck out to end the game.
More to come on this story.