Blue Jays Pitcher Reveals Wild Sleep Schedule After Saying He Cramped Up Because He Only Slept 11 Hours Instead Of 14

For most of us, logging a good eight hours of sleep means you'll feel pretty good the next day. However, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi needs to get 14.

The Blue Jays paid a visit to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, and Kikuchi got the nod to start. He wound up staying in the game until the 6th inning. After walking Yankees first baseman DJ LeMahieu, Kikuchi left the game and was replaced by Yimi Garcia. He finished the inning, and the Blue Jays went on to win 7-1.

It was eventually revealed that Kikuchi was forced to leave the game because of a cramp in his left upper trap muscle. He's no doctor, but he knows is knows his body pretty well, and according to The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath, Kikuchi chalked it up to a lack of sleep the night before.

At least, a lack of sleep by his standards.

He averages 13 to 14 hours a night sleeping. That's obviously more than half the day spent catching some Zs.

Jeez. The man might be part koala bear.

I love sleeping. Love it. But I haven't pulled off too many of these marathon slumber seshes that Kikuchi is throwing down regularly.

McGrath reported that he typically goes to sleep at 11 pm — which is not an unreasonable bedtime at all — then sleeps until 1 in the afternoon the following day. On Tuesday, he had to get up at 10 in the morning capping his sleep at just 11 hours.

Clearly, that extra three hours is big. If he had I think he's at least throwing 7 and 2/3 innings.

Oh well, now the Blue Jays know if they didn't already. Kikuchi is not the guy to start for games with early start times.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle