Angels' Manager Names His Five Starters to Open Season
The Angels aren’t ready to name their Opening Day starter just yet, but manager Ron Washington is ready to name his season-opening starting rotation.
Washington told reporters Monday his five starters will be lefties Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and Tyler Anderson and right-handers Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth.
“Things can change and I'm not talking about things changing because somebody got taken out of the rotation. Things can change where someone has to leave the rotation. And you never know. Something magical might happen. But I won’t tell you what that magic is.”
— Angels manager Ron Washington, via MLB.com
Sandoval, Detmers, Anderson and Canning combined to start 103 of the Angels' 162 games in 2023. Their inclusion in the 2024 rotation was all but a foregone conclusion.
Silseth started eight games last year and relieved another eight. He went 4-1 with a 3.96 ERA and struck out more than a batter per inning. He was the odds-on favorite to grab the fifth starter's job in camp.
However, Jose Soriano and Andrew Wantz are being stretched out as starters in camp and couldn't be ruled out until Washington did so himself.
According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, Jose Suarez is expected to be the club’s long reliever, while Wantz is expected to provide depth at Triple-A Salt Lake.
Zach Plesac, Davis Daniel and Kenny Rosenberg were already optioned to Triple-A and figure to be among the first options called upon if the Angels need rotation help.
All of this assumes the Angels will not make a run at starting pitcher Blake Snell before the regular season begins. The Halos have been linked to the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner all offseason. If Snell arrives, Silseth could be the first to move to the bullpen or Triple-A.
For now at least, the Angels have their starting five.
