The Angels have officially found their ace in Yusei Kikuchi

When the Angels signed Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $63 million contract this offseason, every Angels fan had the same thoughts. Thoughts of C.J. Wilson and every other free agent who never put it together in Anaheim. Coming off a fantastic stretch run in Houston, Kikuchi seemed too good to be true for Halo fans (and still does for some).

Now, just two months after introducing himself to Angels fans on Opening Day, Kikuchi just put together one of the best months for an Angels starter of all time.

The Angels have officially found their ace in Yusei Kikuchi

Going back a bit, Kikuchi had a good, not great start to the season in Anaheim. Across his first six starts, he posted a 4.31 ERA and had some bad luck on the mound. There were also times where it was clear Ron Washington may have trusted Kikuchi a bit too much. He was still striking batters out at an above average rate, and never once had a start so bad the Angels were out of the game immediately.

Kikuchi changed his arm angle after his third start, giving new shape to a slider that is the key reason for his success. He immediately saw better results over the course of April, and in May took off to an entirely new level.

Kikuchi started May by going five innings against one of the American League's best Detroit Tigers. He was largely dominant, but gave up two solo shots. His next outing saw him mow down a Toronto Blue Jays team for six innings, allowing only one run while striking out six.

Next up on Kikuchi's schedule were two matchups against the class of the National League in the Padres and then I-5 rival Dodgers. When he took the mound in San Diego, Kikuchi went six innings once again, allowing just two earned runs. The Angels won 9-5, the only game they would win against the Padres.

In what was likely Kikuchi's best start of May, he was able to go 5.2 innings against the billion dollar Dodgers. He gave up only one run on three hits, and struck out seven batters as the Angels went on to spoil his start, but ultimately pick up the series win in Chavez Ravine. He was forced to leave the game early after covering first base, and the familiar fear began to rise for the Angels fan base.

Nevertheless, after starts against so many elite teams, Kikuchi breezed through a start against the Marlins. He went another 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball, never allowing traffic on the basepaths to throw off his rhythm or result in runs. Kikuchi picked up his first official win as a Halo, their eighth straight victory at the time.

To end what was quite simply the greatest month an Angels pitchers has had since prime Jered Weaver or Johan Santana, Kikuchi was slated to take on the AL best New York Yankees. He struggled a bit in the first inning, giving up one run, but was absolutely nails through the next four to give the Angels a shot to avoid the sweep. They did not, but it was nonetheless a phenomenal outing for their new ace in Anaheim.

Also worth noting: Kikuchi (as well as the entire Halo rotation) has yet to miss a start this season. He has been a prime example of reliability for an Angels team that has been incredibly inconsistent otherwise. Every time he takes the mound, he has given the Angels a chance to win. Sure, his walk numbers are higher than you'd like and his strikeout numbers are not the most elite in the league, but for the Angels, Kikuchi is the ace they have dreamed of since the days of Weaver and Santana.

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