Angels naming Jose Soriano Opening Day start could hint at bigger shift

The Los Angeles Angels are still trying to figure out the final two spots in their starting rotation, but they have identified their Opening Day starter. José Soriano will get the nod for the Angels to open the season and will start Game 1 against the Houston Astros next week.

The Angels don't have a defined ace in their rotation, so the conversation for the Opening Day starter was really between Soriano and veteran pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. Given the ceremonial nature of Opening Day, no one would have batted an eye if Kikuchi got the nod for the Halos. He's put his time in, and as the veteran leader of the pitching staff, it would have made sense.

That being said, from a baseball standpoint, Soriano was the obvious choice. While the Angels are hoping that Grayson Rodriguez can return to form now that he's healthy, Soriano is the logical answer when wondering which pitcher could blossom into a top-of-the-rotation arm.

There were times during the 2025 season that Soriano flashed signs of becoming that pitcher, but with an ERA of 4.26 and walking over 10% of the hitters he faced, there was still development needed. While he does have an ERA of 7.27 in three starts this spring, he's walking under 8% of the batters he's faced.

Angels Opening Day starter nod could speak to Jose Soriano's future

It's become clear that the Angels will need a lot of things to go in their favor if they are going to be a contending team in 2026. Even if that happens, it seems that there still is a gap between where the Angels would be and the top teams in the American League.

With that being the case, there shouldn't be a focus on giving recognition to aging veterans. That doesn't mean that players like Kikuchi should be slighted, but tapping Soriano for Opening Day could suggest that the Angels want to use the 2026 season to identify players who could be a part of the long-term core of the major league roster.

Admittedly, that's giving the Angels the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being a sound baseball organization, but if they're going to change their ways, they have to start somewhere. Perhaps that was the hidden incentive in pointing to Soriano to top the rotation.