Baseball: Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi agrees to deal with Mariners: sources

Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi has agreed to sign with the American League's Seattle Mariners, sources close to the matter revealed Monday.Kikuchi, one of Japan's top pitchers, has agreed to a four-year deal with the Mariners, according to MLB.com. The 27-year-old lefty was posted to Major League Baseball on Dec. 3 by the Seibu Lions and had 30 days to negotiate a contract.According to MLB.com, Kikuchi signed for an initial three years plus a player option in 2022, which can be replaced by an additional four-year guarantee totaling a seven-year stint overall.The Mariners have yet to con…READ FULL ARTICLE