By Ken Rosenthal, Kaitlyn McGrath and Chandler Rome

HOUSTON — The Astros have bolstered their injury-plagued starting rotation with one of the best rental starters available on the trade market.

Houston is acquiring left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the Toronto Blue Jays, league sources have said. The Athletics on Monday evening, giving the team stability in an area where there was hardly anything going on.

The exact return for the Blue Jays is unknown, but it is expected to include touted pitching prospect Jake Bloss, who was scratched from his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. Two other prospects are also expected to be included, according to a league source.

Kikuchi is ranked No. 33 among top pitchers and No. 7 among starting pitchers. The Athletics Top 50 Trade Deadline Big Board. He is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays prior to the 2022 season. He will get the remainder of his $10 million salary back before becoming a free agent at the end of the season, temporarily putting the Astros over the second luxury tax threshold.

Kikuchi, 33, has had an inconsistent run with the Blue Jays, even losing his spot in the rotation in 2022. But he has emerged as a steady starter, starting a league-leading 22 games this season.

Though he has a 4.75 ERA entering Monday, his 10.1 K/9 ranks in the top 10 in the American League. A 3.64 FIP and .344 batting average on balls in play suggest an accident is to blame for his inflated ERA.

Kikuchi is not a front-line starter, and he is not expected to be one as an Astro. He has thrown at least 155 innings in two of the last three seasons, a volume of innings that few in Houston’s current rotation have ever thrown.

Two of the team’s most consistent starters, Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown, are on pace to break their all-time highs for innings pitched. Both general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada wanted to use a six-man rotation to give them some breathing room, but with six starters on the injured list, there aren’t enough players available to accomplish that.

Kikuchi comes in, immediately slotting into a mid-rotation role behind Blanco, Brown and Framber Valdez. Kikuchi’s experience in the bullpen could allow him to pitch in meaningful games when Justin Verlander and Luis Garcia return from the injured list.

This story is being updated.

(Top photo of Yusei Kikuchi: Norm Hall/Getty Images)