The Los Angeles Angels have lost a lot of games lately, but they could be getting Yusei Kikuchi back this season.
The Los Angeles Angels have gone from treading water to totally submerged in the last few weeks, but they could be getting starter Yusei Kikuchi back early in the second half of the season, according to a report from Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.
Kikuchi said he’s back on a throwing program after being shut down due to shoulder inflammation earlier this month, and he’s hoping to make his return after the All-Star break.
The left-hander had an MRI after being pulled from his start on April 29, and the tests he underwent revealed inflammation. Kikuchi added that surgery was never considered an option, although there were reports that he did get a second opinion.
“I’ve never had a major injury to this point and fortunately the damage wasn't major,” Kikuchi said through interpreter Koki Goto. “My inflammation was very controlled, so I think I can get back into throwing again hopefully soon.
“There was a conversation where I might get back quicker, but considering this is a very long season and I’m with the Angels next year too, I had a conversation with people and decided to kind of take it step-by-step in terms of this rehab right now.”
There’s some code in that quote, and it’s not all that hard to interpret. “Very long season” almost certainly refers to the Angels having lost 23 of their last 29 games, so it makes no sense for the Halos or Kikuchi to push for a quick comeback.
The most interesting part of this story is that neither Kikuchi or the Angels know why this happened, exactly. Kikuchi’s strength has been his durability, and there were multiple reports about him changing his arm angle at least once when he got hit hard during the first few weeks of the season.
The Angels starter is still trying to figure it all out, and some of the explanations he’s coming up with now are borderline eye-rollers.
“Before that Kansas City series, I got sick,” Kikuchi said. “I wasn't able to eat for like one to two days, and I think that might have caused the issue because nothing really happened before that, so I think that might be the cause, but we don't have a real clear reason.”
Kikuchi has been doing shoulder strengthening exercises, according to Bollinger, and he’s waiting to be cleared to play catch. He’s following a step-by-step program right now and hoping for no setbacks.
“He said he's starting to feel really good and he's doing a lot of strengthening stuff,” said manager Kurt Suzuki. “When he starts building up, we'll kind of have an idea of how he really is feeling. Once we get to that point, it’ll be exciting.”
The “exciting” part of that quote is an eye-roller going on a genuine howler. The only thing exciting about the Angels season is the possible development of a couple of their young pitchers, along with the trade deadline watch when we see which players will be leaving when the inevitable sell-off happens.
