Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi had to leave Tuesday’s game against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning due to a neck cramp after apparently “only” getting 11 hours of sleep.
Kikuchi had been playing well through the first five innings, having seven strikeouts before the cramp occurred. He later said through his interpreters that he believed the reason behind the injury was poor sleep. So, how many hours constitutes a bad night’s sleep before game day to the Blue Jays’ pitcher? Well, 11 hours, according to him.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: The Toronto Blue Jays make a mound visit with Yusei Kikuchi #16 during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
“I only got 11 hours of sleep so maybe that’s affecting this cramping today,” Kikuchi said via his interpreter, according to Yahoo Sports. (RELATED: Minor Leaguer Tyler Heineman Accidentally Drills Blue Jays Pitcher Chad Green In The Head During Rehab Assignment)
Kikuchi went on to add that he is usually in bed by 11:00 p.m., waking up at around 1:00 p.m. the next day, The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath reported.
#BlueJays starter Yusei Kikuchi thinks he’ll be fine for his next start after he left the game with cramps. The biggest revelation was that he said it may have been caused by only getting 11 (!) hours of sleep last night instead of his usual 13 or 14 hours (!!)
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) September 20, 2023
Kikuchi must be onto something, as 2023 has been a career-best year for the 32-year-old. He has a 3.74 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP over his last 30 games, according to stats from ESPN.
It seems to go without saying, but the Blue Jays should do what they can to make sure their starting pitcher gets all the sleep he needs in order to continue perform this well.