The Houston Astros acquired left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night, adding a much-needed starter to their injury-ravaged pitching staff as they duel with Seattle and try to hold off Texas in the American League West.
Kikuchi, 33, has a 4.75 ERA that is inflated by bad ball-in-play luck this season but Houston is banking on his 130 strikeouts and 30 walks in 115⅔ innings to foretell better performances.
The Blue Jays will receive right-hander Jake Bloss, who had ascended from High-A to the major leagues this season, in return for Kikuchi, the team announced. Astros outfielder Joey Loperfido and infield prospect Will Wagner are also headed back to Toronto.
Wagner, the son of former Houston great Billy Wagner, is the 13th-ranked prospect in the Astros system, according to MLB.com. The 26-year-old is hitting .307 with an .853 OPS in Triple-AAA this season.
An impending free agent, Kikuchi is the best of the Blue Jays players traded so far, including reliever Yimi Garcia, catcher Danny Jansen, infielder Justin Turner and reliever Nate Pearson. He is Houston's first acquisition before the 6 p.m. deadline Tuesday and will replace Bloss in the team's rotation -- joining Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti.
Injuries almost torpedoed the Astros' season. Among their starters currently on the injured list: Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Justin Verlander, the last of whom is expected to return in August. Despite a perilous start, the Astros recovered to catch the Mariners and went into Monday's games tied for first in the AL West.
Kikuchi signed a three-year, $36 million contract with Toronto after spending his first three seasons with the Seattle Mariners. Over 156 career appearances, he has a 4.72 ERA and has struck out 761 hitters while walking 268 in 749⅔ innings.
Bloss, 23, was drafted in the third round out of Georgetown last year and made one of the most rapid rises in the class. Houston promoted him after four starts at High-A, did so again following eight starts in Double-A and gave him just one start at Triple-A before summoning him to the major leagues.
With the Astros, Bloss has a 6.94 ERA in 11⅔ innings and has allowed five home runs in three starts, including four in his last start against Oakland. He was expected to start Monday but was scratched before the game after Houston and Toronto came together on an agreement.
Loperfido, 25, is hitting .236 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in his first season in the majors.