Kikuchi told Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker that "it's the best he's felt in five years," Walker relayed to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com Thursday.
"His confidence level is high right now. He's excited," Walker added. Kikuchi -- who will start the Jays' Grapefruit League opener Saturday -- has made tweaks to his delivery and looks sharp early on this spring. The left-hander posted a 5.19 ERA during his disappointing first season in Toronto last year, but he did strike out 124 over 100.2 innings and is viewed as the favorite to capture the fifth spot in the rotation to open 2023.