Blue Jays trade left-handed pitcher Kikuchi to Houston for right-handed pitcher Jake Bloss, others

TORONTO — Yusei Kikuchi is heading 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 exchange for a package that included Houston’s 23-year-old rookie right-hander Jake Bloss.

The deal was confirmed by the club as the team played the second game of a doubleheader in Baltimore against the Orioles. In the first game – an 11-5 Orioles victory – the Jays traded veteran infielder/DH Josh Turner to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfield prospect RJ Schreck.

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

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

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

Kikuchi, like many of his teammates, hasn’t had a breakout season. He has a 4.75 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 115 2/3 innings and just 30 walks. Kikuchi is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays in 2022. He has started a league-high 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.

The Canadian Press