*This content was translated by AI.
Kikuchi Yusei (35), a left-hander who plays for the Los Angeles Angels in the Major League Baseball (MLB), gave a painful blow to the Japanese baseball community. Beyond simply following major league rules, such as the introduction of the pitch clock and the change of official ball, he warned that the competitiveness of international competitions will remain in place unless it is accompanied by a "fundamental system reform" that lowers the threshold for players to enter the major leagues.
According to a report by Japanese baseball media Full Count on the 25th, Kikuchi met with Japanese reporters ahead of an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, saying, "The Major League has the flexibility to try it first and turn it back if it doesn't fit the reality. However, if Japanese baseball thinks of winning the World Baseball Classic (WBC), it is essential to raise the level of players rather than regular changes," he said.
According to the report, the Japanese baseball community seems to have been shocked by the failure to advance to the semifinals for the first time in 2026 WBC history. Accordingly, various measures are being considered, including the introduction of ABS (automatic pitch judgment system), pitch clock, and adjustment of public ball.
However, Kikuchi expressed his opinion that the improvement of players' skills is a priority over such institutional changes. "In the end, we have to increase the number of major leaguers," Kikuchi said. It is fundamentally more important to create an environment where players can challenge the major leagues faster than to determine how the rules are."
While appreciating the current level of NPB, he emphasized that in order to win the short-term WBC, more players must experience the high walls of Major League Baseball, where the world's best players gather.
Even so, he expressed caution about disparaging the value of the NPB. Kikuchi continued his cool analysis while respecting the value of NPB. "In Japan, baseball is a great box office industry in itself and has an obligation to entertain fans," he said, adding, "If the question is, 'What should I do to win the WBC?' there is only one answer. More players should play at a high level," he added.
As a veteran with abundant experience in the Major League, Kikuchi carefully chose words conscious of the weight of his remarks, but revealed the systematic limitations facing the Japanese baseball world without adding or subtracting.
Kikuchi is a veteran of both NPB and MLB. He played for the NPB Seibu Lions from 2011 to 20118 and pitched in 158 games, recording 73 wins, 46 losses and a 2.77 ERA. In particular, he won more than 10 games from the 2016 season to the 2018 season and played as a consistent starting pitcher.
Kikuchi, who has since advanced to the major leagues, has played for the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros, and now plays for the Angels. He recorded 48 wins and 58 losses with a 4.46 ERA in 199 games (187 starts) in the Major League. The cumulative number of strikeouts is 1,011. In the 2026 WBC, when the Japanese national team failed to advance to the semifinals, it was not good with a 6.75 ERA in two games (one start). In particular, he made his first appearance for the national team in against South Korea / vs. Korea on the 7th, but he was disappointed with six hits, four strikeouts, and three runs in three innings.
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*This content was translated by AI.
