The signing came as a surprise to many, as the Mariners were well into their “fire sale” and it appeared to anybody not really paying attention, that the franchise was just drifting in the wind. The signing of Kikuchi was a bit of a surprise to man and was one of the few moves that excited the casual fan.
Billed as #3 starter with upside, Kikuchi came to the states with a reputation of having a hard slider, a mid-90’s fastball, and excellent deception. He threw strikes and knew how to get outs. He got plenty of strikeouts in Japan and was one of the premier players in the NPL.