Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi was removed from Wednesday's start against the White Sox after the second inning due to left shoulder tightness.
"He just felt tightness," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. "We figured just get him out there, not take any chances. " Kikuchi had completed two scoreless innings but was replaced to begin the bottom of the third by left-hander Mitch Farris, who wasKikuchi, 34, was 0-3 with a 6.21 ERA over six starts entering the game.
He had made each of his six scheduled starts and thrown 80 or more pitches in each of them. He said that he felt the shoulder discomfort in his last start and again during the first inning on Wednesday when throwing fastballs.
"I felt like I could push through if I wanted to, but I didn't want to take any chances at that moment," Kikuchi said via interpreter Koki Goto. "So I decided to step down. " The Angels signed Kikuchi to a three-year, $63 million contract prior to the 2025 season. He is 48-61 with a 4.51 ERA during his MLB career after moving over from Japan.
He made two appearances for his home country during the World Baseball Classic this spring.
"I'll have to talk with the training staff and see how I feel tomorrow," Kikuchi said.
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