Kikuchi will start the second game of the Mariners' season on March 21 against the Athletics in Japan, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Kikuchi lines up to pitch second in the team's rotation behind Marco Gonzales. It remains unclear if he'll remain in that spot in the order all season, as he may require extra days of rest as he transitions from a Japanese pitching schedule -- where starters pitch once a week -- to an American one, where starters generally throw every five days.