In addition to being a starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, Yusei Kikuchi is an accomplished karaoke crooner who is proud of his spirited version of the fight song of his former team in Japan, the Seibu Lions. Asked if he knew the words of a more popular song, "Eikan ha Kimi ni Kagayaku,” or "The Crown Will Shine on You,” during on an off day between starts, the competitor in him took over.
Standing in full uniform at the visitor’s dugout in Minnesota, he smiled broadly and began singing in Japanese (loosely translated):
As clouds dissipate, sunlight fills the sky