The Los Angeles Angels placed right hander Jack Kochanowicz on the 15-day list with elbow inflammation, according to a report from Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com . To replace him, left-hander Sam Aldegheri has been called up from Triple-A Salt Lake, and he could be an option to take Kochanowicz's place in the rotation.
The injury helps explain several bad starts in a row by Kochanowicz. He said he's been dealing with the injury for his last three starts, and it flared up against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday when he was throwing his changeup.
"I felt it on some changeups the last few weeks and yesterday on some changeups, it specifically was bothering me," Kochanowicz said. "The last three [starts] definitely. It's been limiting my throwing midweek, my bullpens midweek a little bit, but I've been trying to push through, trying to stay positive. But just the changeups yesterday, it was a little more painful."
Kochanowicz underwent an x-ray on Saturday that came back negative, and he'll undergo an MRI today. The right-hander was hit hard on Saturday night, as he gave up nine runs in the first inning and was only able to get a single out.
Bollinger also noted that Kochanowicz got off to a strong start with a 3.05 ERA in his first seven starts. In his last six, though, his ERA has ballooned to 11.51. His overall numbers include an ERA of 6.05 with 47 strikeouts and 36 walks in 64 innings.
The good news is that his velocity has been fine. Kochanowicz averaged 97 mph against the Dodgers, but he said that some of the 38 changeups he threw bothered him the most.
"The velo with the fastball was OK, but I think it was the changeup that affected him," manager Kurt Suzuki said. "Once we get the results, we'll know more of how to proceed and what's going on."
Kochanowicz said he wasn't sure about his level of concern heading into the MRI, but Suzuki added that elbow issues are always a concern.
"It's never good when you say you have that medial pain in your elbow," Suzuki said. "We'll know more once we get the MRI. But anytime you have to go get an MRI, it's not exciting. Hopefully, the tests come back, and it's nothing serious."
Aldegheri had a strong showing in long relief last week against the Colorado Rockies, as he threw 5 1/3 innings of score of scoreless relief with five strikeouts. Caden Dana and George Klassen are also options for the rotation as the Angels face the Houston Astros this week.
