Kikuchi's Shoulder Injury Adds to Angels' Struggles

0:00It's April 29th, I'm Cory with the story. This is MLB News Today, driven by AI and Bill for baseball fans. You say Kikuchi, the Los Angeles Angel Starter, had to exit early from Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox after just two innings due to, tightness in his left shoulder. The 34-year-old lefty from Japan kept things scoreless, giving up two hits, a walk and one strikeout, but his fastball velocity dipped. Notesably, from 94.9 mph in the first to 92.8 in the second. They brought in lefty Mitch Ferris to replace him right away. Ferris got the call-up from AAA Salt Lake earlier that day after the Angels designated Joey Luchese for assignment. Kikuchi's been struggling this season, sitting at zero wins and three losses with a 5.81 ERA over seven starts and 31 innings. He's a two-time all-star, including last year with the Angels, but the team's woes are mounting. They dropped five straight and nine of their last.

1:00Ten heading into this one. His career spans eight big league seasons, bouncing from Seattle to Toronto and Houston before inking a free agent deal with LA last November. Overall, he's 48 and 61 with a 4.51 ERA. This shoulder tweak adds another headache for an Angel Squad, desperate for momentum, and will keep tabs on Kikuchi's recovery as they push forward.