The former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher surprisingly received an AL Cy Young vote

At the very end of voting, a familiar face to Toronto Blue Jays supporters placed ninth after receiving a fifth-place vote from a Kansas City writer: Yusei Kikuchi. -Loyalty

While Kikuchi had a solid second half of the season in Houston, he wasn’t spectacular in Toronto, which is why they traded him instead of trying to re-sign him, which also left many fans shocked at this update.

Kikuchi remains a durable pitcher who is guaranteed to take the mound every fifth day, which is valuable in today’s game. However, he was “just OK” in the first half of the year, and it’s hard to justify picking him as one of the game’s best pitchers when he only hit the gas when he was traded to the Astros. -Loyalty

A reunion between the Blue Jays and Kikuchi would be a good fit for both parties this offseason, even if he doesn’t necessarily have to be on the Cy Young ballot. The Blue Jays desperately need to start pitching, so it makes perfect sense to move up with a pitcher they are very familiar with – and who has discovered a new level in his game by joining the Astros. -Loyalty