Ill-advised adjustment may be to blame for Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi’s injury despite denials

The Los Angeles Angels have to be concerned after veteran left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi left his most recent start due to a shoulder injury. The injury may very well be due to a mechanical adjustment Kikuchi made, even though he denies it.

Kikuchi only made it through two innings before being removed with shoulder tightness. He said that he had been feeling the tightness in his previous outing but was trying to power through it.

Earlier in the season, the 34-year-old experimented with a higher arm slot. Not only did that experiment not work, as evidenced by his early-season struggles, but it seems quite likely that it caused his shoulder injury.

“I don’t think that was the cause of the issue. I feel like my condition was getting better every start, so I’m just frustrated at the moment,” Kikuchi said when asked if the mechanical adjustment had anything to do with the injury.

Kikuchi's mechancal adjustment likely played a role in shoulder injury

Yet, Kikuchi was trying to lower his arm angle in his last few starts, which seems to suggest that the higher arm angle was causing him some issues or discomfort. No matter what, it’s unfortunate since it seems possible that Kikuchi will head to the IL.

In seven starts this season, Kikuchi has a 5.81 ERA in 31 innings pitched. He’s struck out 33 batters and walked 14. The 2025 All-Star has just not looked quite right all season, so maybe an IL stint can serve as a nice reset for him.

While the shoulder injury is concerning, as long as it doesn’t end up being a major issue that impacts him all season, there is hope that he can turn things around. His fastball is averaging 95.5 miles per hour, which is nearly a full tick up from what he averaged last season. If the velocity is good, then his stuff should still be able to play.

He should probably just stop tinkering with his mechanics, though. If he can settle into an arm slot that’s comfortable and allows him to pitch without pain, then that’s what he should roll with.

Kikuchi is no longer the ace of the staff like he was last year. José Soriano has supplanted him with his brilliance on the mound, so at least the Angels still have an elite arm atop the rotation.

Still, if Kikuchi can get healthy and look like the best version of himself, then that could give the Halos the strong one-two rotation punch they were hoping for coming into the season.

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