Toronto Blue Jays trade Yusei Kikuchi to Houston Astros

The pre-trade deadline sale in Toronto continues.

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Blue Jays have traded starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros for top prospect Jake Bloss.

With Justin Verlander on the 15-day Injured List and Christian Javier done for the season following Tommy John surgery, the Astros are adding some much-needed veteran pitching depth in Kikuchi. The left-hander had an excellent start to the season but struggled after finding himself at the centre of trade speculation. Kikuchi carried a 3.25 ERA into the month of June and now has a 4.75 ERA on the season after rough showings in June and July.

The Astros selected Bloss in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Georgetown University. He posted a 2.89 ERA over seven appearances in his professional debut between rookie ball and Low-A. The 2024 season has seen Bloss climb from High-A through Double-A and Triple-A and onto Houston’s Major League roster. He has a 6.94 ERA over three starts for the Astros and a 1.64 ERA over 13 starts in the minor leagues.

Bloss came into the season ranked by MLB Pipeline as the ninth-best prospect in Houston’s system but an incredible run through three levels of the minors has elevated his status. Baseball America and FanGraphs both ranked Bloss as the second-best prospect in the Astros’ system and he could soon become Toronto’s top prospect.

Pipeline’s scouting report…

After three seasons at Lafayette, Bloss graduated early with a double major in math and economics, then transferred to Georgetown. As he worked on a master’s degree in economics in 2023, he also won the Big East Conference pitcher of the year award and became the highest Draft pick in Hoyas history. He signed for an under-slot $497,500 as a third-rounder and continued to thrive while reaching Single-A in his pro debut.

The Astros look for pitchers who create extension from low release heights, and Bloss fits that mold while dealing a 92-94 mph fastball that peaks at 97 and carries past hitters now that he’s focusing on working up in the zone. He already has upgraded his curveball during his short time as a pro, and it has gone from a fringy mid-70s bender to a solid upper-70s offering with sharper break. He uses his tighter low-80s slider to get strikes, while his sinking mid-80s changeup lags behind the rest of his repertoire.

Bloss provided more strikes at Georgetown than he did at Lafayette but walked 12 in 18 2/3 innings during his first taste of pro ball. He locates his fastball well but will need to improve his changeup and refine his command of his secondary pitches in order to succeed as a starter. If not, he could become a multi-inning reliever who adds more power to his stuff in shorter stints.