MLB Daily DeltaWeek 27 · September 27, 2026
week 27
this weekSELL
last weekSELL

Yusei Kikuchi

data as of September 27, 2026·week 27
Sell stable xERA 5.08 +0.98 vs league with no luck excuse; move on.high 0.84
ROSK 0ERA 4.74WHIP 1.42W 0–0SV 0

Kikuchi is a sell — his skill is below league with no luck to blame.

His expected ERA is 5.08, nearly a full run above the league average of 4.10, and his sample is large enough that the number is reliable. That gap is not the product of bad breaks. He walks 10.3% of batters, well above the league average of 8.0%, and his walk rate is a persistent flaw rather than a fluke of sequencing. He allows a 46.1% hard-hit rate and a .343 expected wOBA against, both above league, and his xERA has been climbing across the sample rather than settling down. He throws hard — 95.5 mph — but the results do not follow the velocity. There is no suppressed BABIP or bad-luck story propping up the profile; this is simply where he sits. Sell. A 0 K / 4.74 ERA / 1.42 WHIP line is dead weight — cut him now, not a deep-league stash.

VS His Norm

  • Strikeout %21.3%—−2.5% ▼vs his ~23.8% career norm
  • Walk %10.3%—+1.9% ▲vs his ~8.4% career norm

Drivers

  • xeraSIGNALstable xERA 5.08 +0.98 vs league with no luck excuse
metric · nowrolling trajectoryvs. leaguestabilized?
Hard-Hit % Allowed46.1%
46.1%*
lg avg 40.0% ▲+6.1%vs his norm —
191 / 50 BBE
Barrel % Allowed8.9%
8.9%*
lg avg 8.0% ▲+0.9%vs his norm —
191 / 60 BBE
xwOBA Allowed.343
.343*
lg avg .315 ▲+.028vs his norm —
282 / 200 TBF
xERA5.08
5.08*
lg avg 4.10 ▲+0.98vs his norm —
282 / 200 TBF
ERA4.88
4.88*
lg avg 4.10 ▲+0.78vs his norm —ERA is above the ~4.10 league average — expect it to fall.
62.7 / 200 IP
Strikeout %21.3%
norm21.3%*
lg avg 22.0% ▼−0.7%vs his norm −2.5% ▼
282 / 70 TBF
Walk %10.3%
norm10.3%*
lg avg 8.0% ▲+2.3%vs his norm +1.9% ▲
282 / 170 TBF
BABIP Against.332
.332*
lg avg .295 ▲+.037vs his norm —BABIP Against is above the ~.295 league average — expect it to fall.
191 / 800 BIP
Swinging-Strike %11.6%
11.6%*
lg avg 11.0% ▲+0.6%vs his norm —
282 / 60 TBF
Chase %25.8%
25.8%*
lg avg 28.5% ▼−2.7%vs his norm —
282 / 60 TBF
Fastball Velo95.5 mph
95.5 mph*
lg avg 94.0 mph ▲+1.5 mphvs his norm —
1112 / 50 PITCHES

5×5 ROS Outlook

rest of season

Where each category goes the rest of the way, and the skill that drives it. Tap a row to expand the full derivation.

statytdrosdriverconf
K% 21.3%→22.3%signal0 K — K% 21.3% (signal) lifted to career ~23.8% → projected 22.3% over ~0 remaining IP.
xERA 5.08signal4.74 ERA — xERA 5.08 (signal) blended 65% skill / 35% league 4.10 at 31 IP.
BB% 10.3% + contactsignal1.42 WHIP — a 10% walk rate plus BABIP-against 0.304 gives a 1.49 skill WHIP, blended 6…
run support + role0-0 W — wins ride run support and how deep he goes, not just skill.
role (starter)0 SV — role: starter, not in the save mix.
rosterdrop0 K ROS, 4.74 ERA

Every projection traces to a sabermetric input. The driver and confidence shown per row are always visible; tap any row to expand the full derivation.

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