The News Tribune · Apr 26, 2019
Mariners will activate their Kikuchi plan on Friday; Sheffield to make his debut in relief
Rainiers’ Justus Sheffield pitches in the first inning. The Tacoma Rainers played the Albuquerque Isotopes in a baseball game at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash., on Friday, April 12, 2019. Joshua Bessex joshua.bessex@gateline.com
The Yusei Kikuchi pitching plan will be put into action Friday night at T-Mobile Park. Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais detailed it early on in spring training, but this is the first time the club will try it.
Instead of making his regularly scheduled start, the 27-year-old left-hander will make an abbreviated one, likely pitching just one inning against the Texas Rangers.