ANAHEIM \u2014 Yusei Kikuchi is about to get another chance to show if he can help the Angels\u2019 rotation.<\/p>\n
The Angels\u2019 five young starters have mostly pitched well lately, and that stretch was interrupted when the 35-year-old Kikuchi came back and gave up five runs in five innings last Sunday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kikuchi, who missed nearly four months with a shoulder injury, will start again on Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies.<\/p>\n His biggest problem last time was putting hitters away once he got to two strikes. He gave up five hits, including two homers, on two-strike pitches last Sunday in Texas.<\/p>\n He said through his interpreter he\u2019s been working in bullpens this week on throwing more \u201cstrike-balls,\u201d which are balls the hitter perceives as strikes but dart out of the zone.<\/p>\n Kikuchi said he\u2019s feeling \u201cgreat.\u201d He pointed to the fact that his fastball velocity has been comparable to his peak.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I feel like being in the big leagues for eight years, I feel like the opposing batters know what kind of pitcher I am, what kind of pitches I throw,\u201d he said. \u201cI know the average velo in the whole league has been increasing overall, so I need to try to work on something to get ahead of the development of the hitters.\u201d<\/p>\n He said for now he\u2019s working on different grips with his splitter and his fastball, and in the offseason he might try some more radical changes.<\/p>\n In the meantime, he\u2019s enjoying working with Angels interim pitching coach Tim Leveque.<\/a> Under Leveque, the Angels have used more technology and analytics. Angels director of minor league pitching Jared Hughes, whose previous titles include pitching analysis, has now been working with the big leaguers too.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like we\u2019re not only working with pitching coach and player, but with R&D involved in all bullpens,\u201d Kikuchi said. \u201cI feel like our work is moving step by step as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n Kikuchi, 35, is nearing the end of the second year of his three-year, $63-million deal. He was an All-Star last season, with a 3.99 ERA, but a slow start and then a lengthy injury have made this season a lost season. He has a 6.23 ERA after eight starts.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the stuff was there,\u201d manager Kurt Suzuki said of Kikuchi\u2019s last outing. \u201cNo doubt about that. The stuff was there. It just comes down to execution. The more he gets out there, the more he\u2019s going to get a feel for his slider and his changeup and his fastball and stuff. The execution will get better the more he gets out there. So, I\u2019m actually looking forward to him getting back on the mound again.\u201d<\/p>\n SCHANUEL UPDATE<\/p>\n