Kikuchi completed 4.1 innings against Toronto on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out five. He did not factor in the decision.
The left-hander struggled with his control throughout the contest, tossing only 54 of 97 pitches for strikes and tying a season high with four walks. He managed to keep Seattle competitive, however, and the Mariners crafted a comeback in the late innings to help Kikuchi avoid his seventh loss. The 30-year-old has given up exactly three runs in three of his past five outings, though he entered Saturday's game having yielded just one earned run combined over his previous two starts. He'll carry a 3.82 ERA into his next projected appearance, which could be a tough matchup at Houston on Friday.