Jack Kochanowicz was placed on the 15-day injured list on June 7 with right elbow inflammation. He was later moved to the 60-day IL on June 10 after undergoing an MRI to reveal a torn UCL . He'll undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the 2026 season.
Kochanowicz only made it a third of the way into the first inning against the Dodgers on Saturday before leaving the game. Per Jeff Fletcher , Kochanowicz said that he has "felt something in his elbow in his last three starts." However, he alluded to the issue stemming from his pitching mechanics rather than an actual injury.
Kochanowicz, 25, finished the season with a 2-5 record and 6.19 ERA in 64 innings.
In place of Kochanowicz, Sam Aldegheri has been recalled from the Salt Lake Bees . Other moves the Halos have made would be signing right-handed pitcher Shaun Anderson to a minor league contract, bringing him back for the third time this year.
There are no clear plans on who will pitch in place of Kochanowicz in the rotation, with manager Kurt Suzuki saying they'll "talk about it and see what our options are." Aldegheri took the spot on Friday against the Rays , going five innings and getting the victory.
Aldegheri will likely keep the rotation spot for the time being, as the Halos will keep Chase Silseth in the bullpen.
Beyond the Kochanowicz news, the Angels are also still missing Yusei Kikuchi , who went on the IL on May 3 with left shoulder inflammation and has no return date in mind. The Angels also recently signed Taijuan Walker to a minor league contract, who could see the mound in the majors depending on his Triple-A outings.
In the past, the Angels have struggled to commit to either a buyer's or seller's route. It would be no surprise to see them continue that pattern. However, it would serve this team's future well if they tried to land prospects for the top performers.
From the current roster, the Angels could get a decent haul for Reid Detmers . Detmers, 26, has been with the Halos his entire career, making his debut in 2021. Detmers already has a no-hitter and an immaculate inning under his belt. While his past few seasons have been shaky, he's been finding his footing again this year.
José Soriano could also be dealt for a decent return. While Soriano has cooled off since the end of April, he still holds a sub-3 ERA in 15 games. Both Soriano and Detmers would draw interest from across the league.
The real question, however, is whether the Angels risk giving up a young, decent pitcher. Pitching has been the main issue for the last several years, and with Ben Joyce shut down and Tyler Bremner still not major-league ready, it's unlikely either will get dealt at the deadline.
Fans have been calling for an actual rebuild for years. Perhaps, in light of Kochanowicz's injury, this is the year it happens, but only time will tell.
The post How Does Kochanowicz's Injury Impact the Angels' Trade Deadline? appeared first on The Lead .
