MLB Rumors: Yusei Kikuchi and the Seattle Mariners have watched an agreement on a deal, according to Jon Heyman on Twitter. Kikuchi, a 27 year old left handed pitcher, had been posted by the Seibu Lions, and he had until 4 p.m. Central on January 2, 2019, to reach an agreement, or else he would return to Seibu for 2019.
Kikuchi was someone the Texas Rangers reportedly had interest in, though it wasn’t clear how aggressive they were in the pursuit. Kikuchi has a strong track record in Japan, but also has dealt with shoulder issues that gave rise to concerns about how he would hold up going forward.