6 years agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi has been named the team's starting pitcher for the second game of the Japan Series in Tokyo against the Oakland Athletics. Kikuchi will likely have throngs of fans and a boisterous crowd cheering him on in his native country, facing off against veteran Marco Estrada. Kikuchi is 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA, allowing six runs - four earned - and eight hits with six strikeouts over nine innings in three spring starts. In seven seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball league he posted a 2.77 ERA, but MLB is a different animal, and the M's do not have as much offensive support as previous years. Kikuchi is worth a look in AL-only fantasy play, but mixed leaguers will want to use caution.--Daniel Dobish
Source: MLB.com/Mariners - Greg Johns