Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi has simplified his delivery. Will it lead to a more successful 2020?
The delivery looked simpler and smoother, and those watching Yusei Kikuchi’s short throwing session Wednesday afternoon took notice.
Teammates standing off to the side commented on how well the ball was popping out of Kikuchi’s hand as he faced a series of hitters during his first live batting practice of spring camp.
“Good pitch,” said one approving voice after a particularly impressive pitch to second baseman Shed Long.
“Perfect, Yu,” echoed another.
Most pitches the 28-year-old left-hander threw during the brief exercise were met with similar affirmations, and after some, Kikuchi seemed to modestly nod in agreement.
Months removed from an uneven beginning to his major league career, Kikuchi looks refreshed, more confident in his mechanics and ready to make a substantial jump in his second season in Seattle.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow will we cover spring training in 2020?
The Seattle Mariners are ready to report to spring training and so is The News Tribune. Beat reporter Lauren Smith will be on the ground in Peoria, Ariz., from the first full squad practice. And our coverage will continue through the final roster decisions at the end of March, bringing fans the latest on the second year of Seattle’s rebuild. Click on the arrow in the top right for more.
Looking to the future
While the Mariners aren’t exactly expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2020, these six weeks of preseason workouts and games will give us a closer look at some of the top prospects — like outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez, and former first-round draft pick Logan Gilbert — expected to be key pieces of the club’s future, and some of the young players battling for Opening Day roster spots. We’ll also be able to catch up with the more experienced players — like veteran third-baseman Kyle Seager and ace pitcher Marco Gonzales — already in Seattle’s clubhouse.
Don't miss any action with a Sports Pass
Support our coverage of Mariners baseball — which over the course of the year will include a steady stream of subscriber exclusives you can’t get anywhere else — with a yearlong News Tribune Sports Pass subscription.
“The goal is to have those same mechanics throughout the season,” Kikuchi said earlier this week through interpreter Kevin Ando. “Last year things didn’t go the way I expected, but this year I’m confident in those mechanics.
“I made a promise to the manager. He wanted me to be a completely new guy and I took that to heart. I’m looking forward to fulfilling that promise.”
Inconsistency coming from Japan to MLB
Kikuchi became one of Seattle’s most intriguing acquisitions when he signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the club in late 2018, following eight highly successful seasons pitching in Japan’s Nippon Professional League.
But, his first season in the majors was wildly inconsistent. The Mariners achieved their primary goal of keeping Kikuchi healthy as he adjusted to the taxing workload pitching in the big leagues demands, but the final numbers across 32 starts weren’t quite what Kikuchi expected.
“Pitching every five days was different,” Kikuchi said. “It took a toll on my body and I felt tired. Obviously my (velocity) wasn’t as good as it was when I was in Japan.”
While he showed flashes of brilliance in some starts — like when he recorded his first career complete game shutout on an August afternoon in Toronto — others unraveled in the early innings.
Kikuchi continually tinkered with his mechanics between starts, trying several different approaches as he searched for some hint of consistency, but he ultimately labored to a 6-11 record with a 5.46 ERA that ranked near the highest in the majors among qualified starters.
Kikuchi went to work in the offseason
Days after the Mariners wrapped up a forgettable season last September, Kikuchi was ready to put his rookie season in the past and get to work on an improved sophomore campaign.
Less than a week into the offseason, Kikuchi, along with his interpreter, met Mariners manager Scott Servais for breakfast to lay out a new plan.
“We got a good idea for what he thought he needed to improve upon, and where he wanted to go with it,” Servais said. “I listened as much as anything.”
Servais said Kikuchi’s vision and the coaching staff’s vision for improvement matched up about “90 percent.”
And so, with the help of the Mariners, and performance trainers at Driveline Baseball, Kikuchi started making what he hopes are lasting adjustments.
“I only took about 10 days off after the season,” Kikuchi said. “I heard from Scott and a lot of the coaches in general about my mechanics. I knew what I needed to work on, and I got to work immediately by going to Driveline. …
“What I was told from Driveline and what I was told from the Mariners organization were the same thing — it was my hand placement when my front leg hit the ground. It was just too low, too late. That was probably the reason behind the velo going down.”
Throw like a catcher
Kikuchi said he was instructed to throw the ball like a catcher.
“Nice and short, straight to the ear,” he said. “That’s what I really worked on as soon as the offseason started. Those mechanics felt comfortable as I got into December.”
Kikuchi has carried the newfound confidence in his delivery into spring training. He arrived in Arizona well before camp opened to continue working, and while he hasn’t thrown in a game yet, the early returns of his offseason changes have been promising.
“He’s smoothed out some things in his mechanics that he feels really good about,” Servais said. “It’s early … but I’m really happy with where he’s at physically and mentally. He’s ready to go.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
