Yusei Kikuchi departed early in Monday’s 4-2 win over the A’s due to cramping in his lower back, but is expected to be ready for his next start, Kikuchi and manager Scott Servais said postgame.

Servais said Kikuchi is “doing OK,” adding that the lefty threw on Tuesday, playing catch with no issues.

Kikuchi exited in the seventh inning on Monday as a precautionary measure after allowing a leadoff infield single to Jed Lowrie despite being at just 88 pitches. Kikuchi said he experienced cramping in his hands early in the game, then felt cramping in his lower back during his final few pitches.

The southpaw shared that he had a similar experience in Japan where he had cramping in his back during a start. Instead of removing himself from the game, Kikuchi opted to keep pitching, which led to an injury.

While Kikuchi had to prematurely depart, he still logged his fifth consecutive quality start, holding the A’s to one run across six innings. Over his last five outings, Kikuchi has had a 2.78 ERA across 32 1/3 innings, with 36 strikeouts and just 10 walks. Outings like his on Monday have become the expectation for Kikuchi, who has lasted at least six innings in all but one of his nine starts.

"Heck of an outing by Yusei Kikuchi again tonight,” Servais said on Monday. “Continues to keep rolling along and putting together a heck of a season so far. Filled up the strike zone early, had them swinging at the cutter, a lot of balls on the ground.”

Among those who came in relief of Kikuchi was Erik Swanson, who continued his phenomenal stretch of pitching. After walking the first batter he faced, Swanson struck out Chad Pinder, Ramón Laureano and Matt Olson, all swinging, to escape a jam with the lead intact.

Swanson, who has logged five consecutive scoreless outings, has been a revelation for Seattle. In eight games (two starts) this season, Swanson has allowed just one run across 11 2/3 innings to go along with his 12 strikeouts.

“Swanny’s really developing into a complete pitcher instead of like a one-trick pony, so to speak, with that high fastball," added Servais. "The slider’s really helped him out; I thought he made some really good pitches with that.

“The first hitter, he was a little off. Quite frankly, I was a little worried he wasn’t going to find it, but he got back into the strike zone and he went right after them after that. It’s huge when you can bring guys out of that 'pen that can strike ‘em out. Nothing bad happens on a strikeout.”

France's return
Infielder Ty France picked up right where he left off in his return to the lineup on Monday, roping a double with an exit velocity of 105.3 mph to left-center field off A's starter Frankie Montas.

France said he suffered the wrist injury in Houston diving for a ball. He said that while his wrist isn’t completely healed, he feels much better, being able to take swings without much pain.

“It’s tough hitting without a bottom hand. I’ll just leave it at that,” France said of how the injury affected his ability to hit. “It didn’t hurt every single swing, but most swings, it was just a lot of discomfort and I tried to push through it. And it just got to a point where, one, I wasn’t helping the team and, two, I was just hurting myself more. So finally, I said something.”

Worth quoting
“It’s something that he’s been battling with for a little bit, I think. He felt it over in San Diego, like one of the final swings he took in that game on Sunday. Was barking pretty good." -- Servais on Sam Haggerty’s right shoulder injury