SEATTLE -- Among the looming questions the Mariners hope to answer this abbreviated season is just how Yusei Kikuchi might fit in the long-range plans.

After a rough rookie campaign, the Mariners felt Kikuchi would benefit from the knowledge gained his first year in the United States as well as some offseason adjustments designed to simplify his mechanics and amplify his velocity.

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Seattle hit the quarter-mark of the 60-game schedule on Friday, and Kikuchi remains a bit of an enigma. He gave up six hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings in an 8-4 loss to the Rockies, pitching well for the most part before surrendering a pair of runs in the sixth that allowed Colorado to pull away.

It certainly wasn’t the dominant performance of his previous outing, when Kikuchi threw six scoreless innings with three hits and nine strikeouts at the A’s. But it was better than a wild opening effort in Houston when he lasted just 3 2/3 innings while allowing five runs with four walks and five hits.

Take away a two-out, two-run single by Daniel Murphy that just eluded second baseman Shed Long Jr. in the sixth and Kikuchi’s results would have looked much better.

“I thought Yusei had really good stuff again tonight,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Much the same type of outing we saw last time out. I’m really happy with where Yusei is at right now. He certainly wants better results, the final line doesn’t look that great, but he threw the ball really well.”

The 29-year-old southpaw is 0-1 with a 5.28 ERA after three starts, but his velocity and strikeout rates are up from a year ago, and he’s yet to allow a home run in 15 1/3 innings after surrendering 36 in 161 2/3 frames in ’19.

“I think the biggest thing is just being way more confident out on the mound compared to last year, and the reason being is all my pitches are a lot better, the velocity on my fastball and slider are up and overall I just feel more confident in all my pitches,” Kikuchi said through translator Kevin Ando.

Kikuchi’s fastball velocity has risen to the 95 mph range this year after averaging 92.5 mph in '19, and his secondary pitches are also faster and sharper. The result is much more indicative of the pitcher the Mariners thought they were signing when they gave Kikuchi a four-year, $56 million guaranteed deal last year that can be lengthened to seven years and $109 million if the team exercises its options after the 2021 season.

“He has a power-pitcher mindset, and that’s something last year I think he was trying to figure out where he fit,” Servais said. “It’s different than how Marco [Gonzales] does it. Taking that mentality that he’s a power pitcher and challenging guys is a big part of it for him. That’s been the biggest difference, where he’s at mentally and trusting his stuff. I really like the way he’s throwing the ball.”

Catcher Austin Nola’s two-run homer in the sixth cut Colorado’s lead to 4-3, but the Mariners’ bullpen allowed three late long balls as Seattle fell to 5-10. Nola added an RBI double in the eighth in a 2-for-4 night as he hiked his average to .324. The Rockies are rolling at 10-3, first in the National League West.