Kikuchi has not sustained the improvements from last season; his strikeout and walk rates are trending worse and right-handed batters have torched him, contributing to a 5.82 ERA since the All-Star break. He last faced KC in 2024 with the Astros, striking out 12 in seven innings.

Kikuchi’s home/road split makes Anaheim a favorable stage, with a 3.00 ERA at home and a favorable Royals offense to exploit, positioning him as a value pick for the slate’s middle tier.

Kikuchi is a mixed-bag arm in a Royals–Angels tilt; his recent struggles (8.10 ERA over five starts) push him toward value-pitch status with Royals stacks.

Kikuchi’s stance is highlighted by criticism of manager Ray Montgomery’s decisions, reflecting the high-stakes nature of late-season bullpen and rotation management and how it could influence his usage and fantasy value down the stretch.

Kikuchi has shown regression over his last three starts (13.89 ERA, 2.23 WHIP), creating a platoon-edge for Julio Rodríguez. Angels’ offense struggles further, and Seattle holds a strong platoon advantage here, amplifying Rodríguez’s upside in the stack.