ANAHEIM -- Veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi said before Wednesday’s game against the A’s that he’s set to start his throwing program soon after being diagnosed with left shoulder inflammation early in May, and he’s hopeful to return in the early part of the second half of the season.
Kikuchi left his start with shoulder discomfort after two innings on April 29 and underwent an MRI exam that revealed inflammation. Kikuchi, speaking with reporters for the first time since the diagnosis, said surgery was never considered an option despite getting a second opinion from a personal doctor and that he believes he’ll be able to return by late July.
“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.”
Kikuchi, 34, posted a 5.81 ERA with 33 strikeouts, 14 walks and three homers allowed in 31 innings across seven starts before being placed on the 15-day injured list on May 3 (retroactive to April 30). It came after Kikuchi had a strong first year with the Angels in ‘25, getting named an All-Star for the second time in his career and registering a 3.99 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 178 1/3 innings. He joined the organization after signing a three-year deal worth $63 million prior to last season.
The southpaw worked to raise his arm angle this year, but he gradually lowered it as the season went along. His arm angle was at 50.2 degrees in his first start of 2026 and was 47.3 degrees in his last start, after being at 36 degrees last year. He also prepared himself earlier than usual in the offseason because he pitched for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic for the first time in his career.
But Kikuchi said he doesn’t think his arm angle or getting ready for the Classic caused his injury, instead pointing to trying to pitch while sick in Kansas City on April 24. That caused fatigue and for him to overcompensate. He gave up five runs in five innings in that outing.
“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 said he’s been doing shoulder strengthening exercises and is awaiting being cleared to play catch. He’ll need a lengthy buildup and a rehab assignment, which is why Kikuchi is tracking for a return in more than a month and a half.
“I really want to throw badly, but I talked with the team and they said, ‘Let's take it step-by-step so we don't have any setbacks,’” Kikuchi said. “And I agree with them, so that's how we've been progressing so far.”
With Kikuchi out, the Angels have a rotation composed of right-handers José Soriano (6-3, 2.41 ERA), Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.56 entering his start on Wednesday), Walbert Ureña (1-4, 2.84), Grayson Rodriguez (0-1, 17.18) and lefty Reid Detmers (1-5, 5.07). Since his injury, Angels starters have combined to post a 5.86 ERA in 86 innings over 17 starts entering Wednesday.
But Rodriguez’s stuff looked sharp in his first Major League start since July 31, 2024, while Detmers and Soriano are both coming off rough outings that inflated their ERAs. Soriano gave up six runs over 5 1/3 innings on Saturday against the Dodgers to see his ERA go from 1.66 to 2.41, while Detmers surrendered eight runs over 5 2/3 frames on Tuesday against the Athletics to see his ERA jump from 4.20 to 5.07.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki believes the rotation has mostly held its own this season but would love to see Kikuchi return and pitch like he did last season.
“He said he's starting to feel really good and he's doing a lot of strengthening stuff,” Suzuki said. “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.”