Kikuchi joins a projected rotation that includes left-handers Tyler Anderson and Reid Detmers and right-handers José Soriano and Kyle Hendricks, who left the Chicago Cubs as a free agent and agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract.

Angels starters ranked near the bottom of MLB in strikeouts last season, which is one of the reasons they feel that Kikuchi will be an important upgrade. GM Perry Minasian says they could still

Though his contract covers his age 34-36 seasons and his MLB track record is only ordinary, Kikuchi has a well above average four-seamer and dominated in the second half.