Kikuchi made a post on X two hours ago accusing Nikkan Sports, one of the biggest sports media in Japan, of lying to him and using him for their article on Shohei.
https://x.com/Yuseikikuchi16/status/1835943720518287425
According to Kikuchi, someone from Nikkan Sports came to the US to interview him saying that they were doing a spread on their newspaper on Kikuchi. He didn't wanna just have a talk with someone who came all the way from Japan for him at the stadium, so he took the person to breakfast and talked to them for 2 hours and drove them back to the stadium on the day of a game for which he was supposed to start. Today he claimed that he found out that the "special article" about him was part of their weekly article on Shohei, a graduate of Hanamaki Higashi High School where Kikuchi also went to high school (please note that Kikuchi and Shohei's time at the high school didn't overlap as Kikuchi graduated before Shohei entered the HS).
Kikuchi says in his X post that he only talked about Shohei for about a minute during the 2-hour interview. He says that he is used to this kind of method employed on him. I guessed he is meaning to say that he is used to being used by media for his connection with Shohei because articles on Shohei gets clicks. Kikuchi says that trust is something you build over time and that he was reminded about the importance of players having their own platform not only to promote themselves so people will get to know him, but also "protect" themselves. Kikuchi ended his post with a note that there is no blame to be put on Shohei about this and he does want to play alongside of him wearing the Samurai Japan uniform.
If what Kikuchi is saying is true, that he was lied to about the true intention of the interview, shame on Nikkan Sports for lying to Kikuchi and telling him that they were writing a special article on him when they were actually doing the interview for their article on Shohei. I reeky hope this is misunderstanding for Kikuchi's sake and there is a 6 page long spread about Kikuchi appearing on the newspaper tomorrow, because if not, Nikkan Sports needs to apologize for treating him in such a cruel way.
24 comments
Man that’s incredibly disrespectful and out of pocket; imagine giving the time of day to be interviewed especially a 2-hour one only to find out it’s for Ohtani clickbait, that must suck. Not only that, but Ohtani’s name will also be dragged into this for drama and clicks even though he literally has no affiliation with Nikkan Sports. Hope they apologize and actually make those 2 hours worth something and make an article on him.
Its always someone else’s fault with Shohei.
>If what Kikuchi is saying is true
Yusei is a saint, if he says it, you can take it the bank.
As an Astros fan I feel bad for him. He had a shaky start in his debut for us and fans booed him, which imo is really fucked up.
Now that he’s pitching for us way better than expected fans have jumped on the bandwagon, supporting him, standing ovations, etc.
Makes their claps seem fake when before they were shit talking him.
The team store recently started discounting the Space City jerseys because they are making a new design next year. I saw a couple from the section I sit in at the team store buying a Kikuchi jersey, after I saw them boo him on his debut. Hypocrites.
Tbf there were a few fans with “Welcome Kikuchi” signs at the first home game he started but those were few.
Now he gets an interview which he thinks is about him, and the newspaper tricks him.
Terrible way to treat a guy who reserved an entire sushi restaurant just to help Shohei feel welcome.
Can’t be a very good reporter if he flew all the way to the US and only managed to talk about Shohei for one minute.
Kooch is a wholesome prince, he must have been really hurt to even bring something up. I hope Houston, at least, is properly appreciating him.
Japanese media not stooping to a new low challenge: impossible
Sometimes I wonder if it’s unfortunate that Ohtani refuses to give an inch to the Japanese press but then they pull stuff like this, or dox his home address, and it makes sense
Kikuchi deserves his own entire article about his turnaround after the trade. Dude is pitching very well and has won every game he’s started. A lot of Astros fans were shaking their heads at the trade, but they get it now. I hope he stays in Houston next season.
That is actually fucking shady af. Just when I think journalists can’t sink any lower, they bring the shovels
This wouldn’t have happened if he was still in Toronto…
Mostly because it would have taken longer than two hours to go anywhere around the city on a game day.
that sucks for Kikuchi. it’s also two hours he could have been reading or sleeping. the man’s time is precious.
Whatever you say, Yusei
Kikuchi probably adjusted his 14 hour sleep schedule for this reporter. I’d be pissed
It’s not like Yusei is some nobody
You could easily write an article people would still want to read about Kikuchi, who was traded to a playoff contender and is about to hit free agency, who has struggled in his career but become really good lately, etc.
Seems like a waste of his time and that reporter’s time to interview Kikuchi for 2 hours just for 1 minute about Ohtani, a guy Kikuchi doesn’t know as well as this reporter thinks he does.
Man that’s so sad
That reporter is very silly, Kikuchi has a great story this year. Get traded to a team with playoff potential and the team hasn’t lost a start with him yet.
Hate the Japanese media. Those scums forced ohtani and his wife to move from their new home…
Japan has an unhealthy obsession with Ohtani. It’s beyond creepy to me.
This all sounds so unnecessary. Kikuchi says that they only spoke about Ohtani for a minute. If that’s all they needed, why all the deception?
I would kill for a two hour conversation over breakfast with a good player. He brought that reporter into the circle of trust.
Another Japanese media to be blacklisted by Shohei as well then
I mean, Shohei’s agents even deliberately fed misinformation to respected (not you, Heyman) baseball “insiders”, in order to milk more money from the Dodgers. So is it really that far fetched a media outlet would do the same type of thing?
Big deal
Journalists gotta do their work