Angels' quest for stability unravels quickly after Yusei Kikuchi's early exit with injury

While the Los Angeles Angels have been rewarded with a breakout season from Jose Soriano in the starting rotation, and Jack Kochanowicz looking strong of late, Yusei Kikuchi's struggles have been a concern. He's pitched to a 6.21 ERA through his first six starts this season, and he may now be dealing

Kikuchi labored through two innings of work against the White Sox on Wednesday before taking himself out of the game before making a pitch in the third inning. Before throwing a pitch in the third inning, Kikuchi removed himself from the game. Further testing certainly will be needed for now; the Angels are calling it left shoulder tightness.

Kikuchi hasn't quite been the pitcher for the Angels that he was with the Houston Astros during the final two months of the 2024 season. Kikuchi posted a 3.99 ERA through 33 starts last season, but there was a notable dip in his strikeout rate. The veteran southpaw struck out over 33% of the hitters he faced during his time with the Astros, and that mark fell to 22.% last season.

It's back up to 24.1% this season, but that's just about the only thing that has worked for Kikuchi this season. His 6.21 ERA is a career-high, and he's walking 9.8% of the hitters he faced. Something has felt off with Kikuchi, which would be why he's been experimenting with different arm angles. It's certainly possible that the tweaks with his arm angle are what caused the injury on Wednesday.

Angels' pitching staff is littered with question marks, especially after Yusei Kikuchi's injury

Soriano and Kochanowicz have been the lone bright spots for the Angels' pitching staff. Reid Detmers is still trying to find his footing in the rotation after spending the 2025 season as a reliever, and Walbert Urena has had mixed results while LA has bounced him between the rotation and the bullpen.

Yes, Kikuchi had been struggling, but at the very least, the Angels had someone who was going to take the ball every five days and eat some innings. It's a low bar to clear, but that's life for the Halos.

At the moment, the Angels don't have a clear option to replace Kikuchi in the rotation. Alek Manoah should start a minor-league rehab assignment in the coming week and could be the next man up as the Angels still wait for Grayson Rodriguez to be ready.

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