Yusei Kikuchi, 33, has proved that he is a first- and second-line issue. He will receive a multi-year contract with a long period of time."

Kikuchi, who played after the trade this season, will qualify as a free agent and come to the market.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) has started a stove league system after the World Series. The agents of major players and the leaders of each team are holding intense negotiations at a general managerial meeting held in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday (Korea time).

Scott Boras is the eye of the typhoon this winter. Dubbed the "agent of the devil" and the head of MLB's biggest agency, he has monopolized Juan Soto and Corbyn Burns, the biggest fish this winter. Kim Ha-sung, who received his first free agent after joining MLB, also signed a contract with Boras Corporation.

Most of the attention is directed at Soto and Burns, but among Boras' players is Japanese left-handed pitcher Kikuchi. Kikuchi, who started his MLB career by signing with the Seattle Mariners in 2019, became an FA after six seasons this year. It is the second FA after 2022.메이저사이트

His performance is not that impressive. He has won 41 games and 47 losses and an earned run average of 4.57 overall, and his performance this season is limited to 9 wins and 10 losses and an earned run average of 4.05. However, there is a reason why he is drawing attention. While playing for the Toronto Blue Jays until the middle of the season, Kikuchi had only four wins and nine losses and an earned run average of 4.75 ERA, which was traded by Houston, which needed a starting pitcher to be used in the post season. Since then, he has turned into a completely different pitcher with five wins and one loss and an earned run average of 2.70 in 10 games and 60 innings. The number of strikeouts per nine innings has increased from 10.1 to 11.4, and the number of hits per nine innings has decreased significantly from 9.7 to 6.3.

Boras, who has to sell Kikuchi, emphasized his performance in Houston, not Toronto. According to Japan's San Case Sports, Boras told reporters at a general managerial meeting that Kikuchi is one of the most popular pitchers in the offseason. "He proved that he can throw as a first or second starter this year. He is attracting a lot of attention. He will be able to get a multi-year contract with a long period of time."

Dana Brown, the Houston Astros' general manager who succeeded in the trade, said, "He is a pitcher who performed well in Houston. I hope he will be able to come back. I am also having conversations with his agency." Boras said, "Not only Houston, but many other teams are already offering to Kikuchi. I can't tell you how many teams they belong to, but there are many. I've already been contacted and met with him."

Meanwhile, The Athletic in the U.S. estimated Kikuchi's contract to be worth 63 million U.S. dollars over three years. MLB also spent 60 million dollars over three years.