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On July 29, 2024, Kikuchi was traded to the [[2024 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]] in exchange for [[Jake Bloss]], [[Joey Loperfido]], and [[Will Wagner (baseball)|Will Wagner]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yusei-kikuchi-astros-blue-jays-trade|first=Brian|last=McTaggart|title=Astros deal for Kikuchi, send 3 players to Jays|website=MLB.com}}</ref> On August 2, in his team debut against the [[2024 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]], Kikuchi became the first Japanese-born starting pitcher in Astros franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vann |first=Leah |date=August 1, 2024 |title=Yusei Kikuchi excited to make history, bring championship to Houston |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/yusei-kikuchi-astros-pitcher-19610174.php |access-date=August 2, 2024 |website=[[Houston Chronicle]]}}</ref> He also tied a franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts, of which that streak ended on a full count walk to [[Yandy Díaz]].{{refn|Previously accomplished by [[Don Wilson (baseball)|Don Wilson]] ([[1968 Houston Astros season|1968]]), [[Jim Deshaies]] ([[1986 Houston Astros season|1986]]) and [[Justin Verlander]] ([[2022 Houston Astros season|2022]]).|group=lower-alpha|name="Kikuchi debut"}}<ref name=criswell080224>{{cite newspaper |last=Criswell |first=Josh |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/yusei-kikuchi-astros-record-strikeouts-19615565.php |title=Yusei Kikuchi ties franchise record in Astros debut |work=Houston Chronicle |date=August 2, 2024 |access-date=August 18, 2024}}</ref> By tallying 11 total strikeouts, he had the most in an Astros debut since [[Gerrit Cole]] on April 1, [[2018 Houston Astros season|2018]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Huang |first=Christina |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yusei-kikuchi-excited-to-join-astros?s= |title=Kikuchi ready to win and make history as Astros' 1st Japanese pitcher |work=MLB.com |date=July 31, 2024 |access-date=August 18, 2024}}</ref> and to that point, Kikuchi's total represented the season high for the staff. He exited after {{frac|5|2|3}} innings and allowing three hits, two runs, and two walks in a contest the Astros held on to win, 3–2.<ref name=criswell080224/> On September 13, Kikuchi was the winning pitcher as the Astros collected the 5,000th win in franchise history by defeating the [[2024 Los Angeles Angels season|Los Angeles Angels]], 5–3. <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401570673 |title=Yusei Kikuchi, Yordan Alvarez lead Astros past Angels 5-3 for Houston's 5,000th victory |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=September 13, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> The Astros won Kikuchi's first nine starts to set a franchise record, surpassing eight consecutive team wins to start their Astros careers shared by [[Roy Oswalt]] (2001) and teammate [[Justin Verlander]] (2018). It was the longest such streak in the major league since [[John Burkett]] with the [[2002 Boston Red Sox season|2002 Boston Red Sox]].<ref>{{cite news |last=McTaggart |first=Brian |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yusei-kikuchi-jon-singleton-lead-astros-past-angels |title=Kikuchi doing it all for Astros: 'The energy, you feel it' |work=MLB.com |date=September 19, 2024 |access-date=September 21, 2024}}</ref>
During his time in Houston, Kikuchi logged 10 starts, 2.70 ERA, and 5–1 W-L over 60 IP. He surrendered 42 hits, 8 home runs, 14 BB, and struck out 76 batters for a 0.933 [[walks plus hits per inning pitched]] (WHIP), 11.4 [[strikeouts per nine innings pitched]] (K/9), and 5.43 [[strikeout-to-walk ratio]] (K/BB). Cumulative season totals between Toronto and Houston included 9–10 W–L and 4.05 ERA over 32 starts. He registered career-highs of {{frac|175|1|3}} IP and 206 strikeouts, which ranked fifth in the AL. He ranked 7th in earned runs (79), and 10th in both hits (167) and home runs (25) allowed. He was also 3rd in the AL with 10.554 K/9, 6th with 4.682 K/BB, and 8th with 3.46 [[Fielding Independent Pitching]] (FIP).<ref name=bbrefmain>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kikucyu01.shtml |title=Yusei Kikuchi stats, height, weight, rookie status, position & more |work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=October 13, 2024}}</ref> Following the season, he elected [[Free agent|free agency]].<ref>{{cite newspaper |last=Kawahara |first=Matt |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/free-agency-alex-bregman-justin-verlander-kikuchi-19872362.php |title=Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, Yusei Kikuchi head list of 8 Astros on MLB's free-agent market |work=Houston Chronicle |date=November 1, 2024 |access-date=November 3, 2024}}</ref>
==Playing style==
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