Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and the LA Angels finalize a $63 million, 3-year contract

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels are rebuilding from the worst season in franchise history, and they think Yusei Kikuchi will be a solid piece of their new foundation.

The veteran left-hander and the Angels finalized a $63 million, three-year contract on Wednesday, adding another veteran arm to the Halos' revamped rotation.

The 33-year-old Kikuchi gets $21 million annually, which raises his Major League Baseball earnings to $142 million over nine seasons.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said the team valued Kikuchi's durability and strike-throwing consistency in their decision to make a hefty financial commitment to him.

“I believe we’re better,” Minasian said. “Biggest commitment I’ve made since I’ve been here, and I don’t take that likely, but I felt like we needed to add a rotation piece that could slot everybody down.”

An All-Star with Seattle in 2021, Kikuchi was 9-10 with a 4.05 ERA in 32 starts this year for Toronto and Houston, which acquired him on July 30 for 23-year-old right-hander Jake Bloss, rookie outfielder Joey Loperfido and minor league first baseman Will Wagner.

Kikuchi was 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts with the Astros, striking out 76 and walking 14 in 60 innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 95.5 mph this year, the highest of his big league career.

“Strong finish with Houston after the trade,” Minasian said. “We really liked what we saw before that, too, when you look at his underlying numbers. ... The makeup fit, first and foremost. Great person, worker, loves to pitch, loves to work, helps other players. It’s somebody that I think is going to be a welcomed addition and somebody that I’m excited about."

Kikuchi is 41-47 with a 4.57 ERA in six major league seasons with Seattle (2019-21), Toronto (2022-24) and Houston.

He famously attended Hanamaki Higashi High School in northern Japan, three years ahead of former Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Kikuchi signed with the Mariners ahead of the 2019 season when Seattle agreed to a contract that paid him $43 million over three years. The Mariners also paid a $10,275,000 posting fee to the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions. He signed with Toronto in March 2022, agreeing to a $36 million, three-year contract.

The Angels have been the most aggressive team in baseball so far this offseason as they seek a fresh start from their 63-99 season.

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.

Minasian said Kikuchi, Anderson, Soriano and Hendricks are “pretty safe to be in the rotation,” and the Angels will figure out the details in spring training. The GM also emphasized that it will be a five-man rotation after years of a six-man rotation in Anaheim to provide extra rest to Ohtani.

Right-hander Griffin Canning was traded to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder and designated hitter Jorge Soler on Oct. 31. Los Angeles also reached a $12 million, two-year contract with catcher Travis d’Arnaud.

“We’re trying to get better, so with what we’ve done so far, we’ve been pretty aggressive,” Minasian said. “We’re going to continue to be aggressive. When you have the year we had, there’s definitely areas to get better. Really every area. We’ll look to attack all those areas and improve this club.”

The Angels endured their ninth straight losing season — the longest active streak in the majors — after losing Ohtani in free agency to the Dodgers last winter. They have not reached the playoffs since 2014, the majors' longest active drought.

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FILE - Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court on Thursday asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election, which was won by a far-right outsider candidate, sending shockwaves through the political establishment.

The Constitutional Court in Bucharest voted unanimously in favor of the recount, and said the decision is final. The Central Election Bureau is expected to meet on Thursday afternoon to discuss the request.

Calin Georgescu, a little-known, far-right populist, won the first round, beating the incumbent prime minister. Georgescu, who ran independently, was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi, the mayor of the town of Campulung, in a Dec. 8. runoff.

Georgescu's unexpected success has prompted nightly protests by people who are concerned with previous remarks he's made in praising Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday also rejected a request by Sebastian Popescu, a former presidential candidate who got just 0.15% of the vote, to annul the first-round vote. Popescu alleged Georgescu — who declared zero campaign spending — had not disclosed financing linked to a massive TikTok campaign, which many have credited for his success.

Popescu also alleged in his appeal that Georgescu had used widespread disinformation and “defrauded the electoral law by illegally financing the entire electoral campaign, having support from outside the country’s borders, from state entities with the aim of destabilizing Romania.”

Georgescu, who said a network of Romanian volunteers helped his campaign, has denied any wrongdoing. “They want to ban the right of the Romanian people to speak freely,” he told a local news channel Wednesday, adding the first round vote “was perfectly democratic and legitimate.”

Youngsters shout slogans and flash the light of their mobile phones in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, during a protest against Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A woman shouts next to a banner depicting a grumpy cat with a text that reads "I feel like barking" in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 during a protest against Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Youngsters shout slogans and flash the light of their mobile phones in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, next to an altered version of a classic painting, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Calin Georgescu independent candidate in the presidential elections speaks to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it into the December 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president gestures while delivering a speech to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it to the Dec. 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A journalist records Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president gestures while delivering a speech to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it to the Dec. 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)