Kikuchi (3-1) allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits, two walks and a hit batsman over six innings in a win over the Twins on Sunday. He struck out six.
Kikuchi was solid over his 93 pitches, and he notched an impressive 12 swinging strikes overall. The southpaw has now churned out four consecutive quality starts after being deployed for just one inning in an April 26 turn, a strategy the Mariners are periodically employing to ease Kikuchi into the rigors of a stateside big-league rotation. The 27-year-old is still experiencing some control issues, although he's been better at staying away from the long ball more often than not of late. Kikuchi did yield a trio of home runs against Oakland last Monday, but he's kept the ball in the yard in five other outings since April 20. He'll look to carry his recent form into a rematch against the Athletics next Friday.