Angels place lefty Yusei Kikuchi on injured list with shoulder inflammation

By: Doug Padilla, The Associated Press Posted: 3:13 PM CDT Sunday, May. 3, 2026

AMAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles placed left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on the 15-day injured list Sunday with shoulder inflammation and purchased the contract of lefty Tayler Saucedo from Triple-A Salt Lake.

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Kikuchi, 34, was removed from his road start against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday after throwing one warmup pitch before the third inning. He was initially diagnosed with shoulder tightness.

An MRI was done on Kikuchi’s left shoulder Friday, with general manager Perry Minasian suggesting that further results are pending.

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, of Japan, throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

“He’s got some shoulder stuff, some soreness, so we’re just waiting to see how it progresses,” Minasian said before Sunday’s series finale against the New York Mets. “He’s getting looked at, he will get looked at again and we will go from there.”

An All-Star for the second time last season, his first with the Angels, Kikuchi had been adjusting the arm slot on his delivery this season as he went 0-3 with a 5.81 ERA in seven starts. He was 7-11 last season with a 3.99 ERA over 33 starts.

In eight seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2019-21), Toronto Blue Jays (2022-24), Houston Astros (2024) and Angels, the Japan native is 48-61 with a 4.50 ERA over 206 appearances (194 starts).

Saucedo, 32, is set to make his Angels debut. In five seasons with the Blue Jays (2021-22) and Mariners (2023-25), he is 5-2 with a 4.36 ERA over 148 relief appearances. He was 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA in 12 relief appearances with Salt Lake.