


There’s nothing worse when that alarm wakes you up from a sound sleep … at 11 a.m.
Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who left Tuesday’s game against the Yankees after five innings due to cramps, said it was likely because he only got 11 hours of sleep Monday night, according to The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath.
The left-handed starter explained that he usually gets 13 to 14 hours of sleep per night — and goes to bed around 11 p.m. and wakes up at 1 p.m.
Kikuchi, 32, made the revelation after the Blue Jays said he exited the game with a left upper trap muscle cramp.
He was pulled after walking DJ LeMahieu to start the sixth.
Kikuchi believes he’ll be good to go for his next start, according to McGrath.
When asked to rank his concern level on a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the highest, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said: “One or zero.”
Toronto beat the Yankees 7-1 on Tuesday to start the three-game series in The Bronx.
The fifth-year major leaguer was pitching well before he left the mound, allowing one run and four hits with seven strikeouts over five innings.
Kikuchi was taken out of the game as a precaution after being looked at by athletic trainer Jose Ministral, ESPN reported.
Tuesday’s loss was another nail in the coffin for the Yankees’ playoff hopes.
The 76-75 Yankees fell seven games behind the Mariners and Rangers — both of which secured wins on Tuesday — for the final wild-card spot.
The Yankees face the Blue Jays on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.