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Mariners lose, Angels bully the new kids

Being the new kid is always tough. Every new situation comes with a litany of questions about how to act, who to be, and what to do with your hair. As fun and invigorating as a new beginning is, the creeping doubts about everything that can go wrong are almost impossible to keep away.

For Yusei Kikuchi, each start is an inherent reminder that he is new, and that feigned conviction can only disguise discomfort for so long. Sure, there are physical things one can do to assimilate themselves into unfamiliar surroundings. Kikuchi, for example, chose #18, which is the number reserved for aces in Japan.