Kikuchi is scheduled to take the mound for the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and German will do the same for the New York Yankees when the teams open a three-game series on Friday night.
Kikuchi (2-0, 4.70 ERA) is coming off a 5-2 victory against the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, holding them to one run and four hits in six innings. It was one of Kikuchi's best performances in his two seasons with the Blue Jays.
His other win came in his season debut on April 4, when he held the host Kansas City Royals to one run and three hits in five innings during a 4-1 victory.
"He's got a different way about him this year than he has in the past," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "With the work he put in and the spring he had, it's just carried over a bit. He's confident. A confident pitcher is a dangerous thing. That's what he is right now."
German (1-1, 3.86 ERA) also had to perform well in the spring to make the rotation, and like Kikuchi, is also coming off his best outing so far this season.
The 30-year-old right-hander limited the Minnesota Twins to one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings on Saturday in a 6-1 victory. German took a perfect game into the sixth inning before finishing with 11 strikeouts and no walks.