Inside the Studio: Angels Radio's Trent Rush Interview Part 3

This is the third installment of my interview with Trent Rush.

Mar 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; FS1 play-by-play announcer Trent Rush during the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Southern California Trojans Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This is the third installment of my interview with Trent Rush. Due a bit to familiarity but also Trent's demeanor, this interview turned into more of a conversation than a typical question and answer session. I will get the last two segments up before the weekend and hope you are enjoying the series.

Please read through part 1 and part 2 to catch up.

JJ: I love the Mike Maddux hire. I can't put into words how much I love the Mike Maddux hire. I think my second or third piece on Angels on SI was was saying look out for Jose Soriano. He has the exact pitching repertoire that Mike Maddux has worked with over and over again. The power sinker, just needs some command. This is the guy, this is the marriage that could result in something really good. It's early but so far how fun has it been watching Jose Soriano?

Trent: So it's early but you. Like for me I don't like to base my opinion on how stuff going based on just what we've seen in a game. But that plus what you saw in Spring Training plus what we saw last year plus the track record that Mike Maddux has.

I mean, he dropped Nathan Eovaldi's ERA by 2 runs. He dropped Tyler Mahle's ERA by 2 runs. He just did that last year. So he's got a track record of being able to do this.

With Soriano it's always been the electrifying stuff but the command has always seemed to evade him. He's throwing the sinker way less this year and throwing the four seamer way more. Yeah, he's throwing the change up a little bit more too. That's a theme. All these guys are throwing the change up more now. Mike Maddux is a big believer in that.

But I think that something just as simple as fewer sinkers, more four seamers, and that fastball mix has been enough for Soriano to throw these strikes and he's getting guys out.

He's such a great guy; great personality. He's got a lot of confidence going right now. We're going to have him on the Under the Halo podcast that's coming out real soon. It's been real fun seeing this for Soriano. He deserves it, he's a good dude.

JJ: I like the fact that you mentioned the change up. I'm obvously a big numbers guy. I love the data. But pitching is an art. It very much is an art. If you are just pounding guys with speed, speed, speed they're going to adjust to that. So it is cool seeing the Angels organizational philosophy go from Billy Eppler who said velocity is the number one indicator of success to Mike Maddux who is saying I want you guys throwing more change ups. I want you guys going completely the opposite direction.

So it is good seeing the Angels pitchers having success by pitching rather than throwing.

Trent: I mean you still have to throw hard. And the change up makes the fastball throw harder, or seem harder. That's the whole kind of ebb and flow to this thing. So I like seeing that for sure. I'm all in on the change up.

More than just the velocity it's the location and command. And that's the focal point for Mike Maddux; if you can locate. Like locating 95 is way better than spraying 98. You still have to throw hard.

But we're also seeing guys hit high velocity. Walbert Urena is still throwing 101. Kikuchi is throwing as hard as he's ever thrown in his career. So while this emphasis has been on command and the change up, what a coincidence that also velocities are getting better with this Angels club too. So it's all kind of coming together for Mike Maddux.

Apr 21, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz (41) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

JJ: The change up I feel is really helping Kochanowicz's fastball. Because you look at the radar readings and you look at his really low strikeout and you're like how does that fit together? But now that the change up is there hitters are just a little bit slower on the fastball and suddenly the guy who was striking out 2 hitters a game is striking out 6 or 7 and that's a night and day difference for him.

Trent: Yeah. Everyone loves strikeouts but I just love outs. I don't really care how you get them. One pitch ground ball outs are great. He gets the ball on the ground, gets a lot of soft contact.

Kochanowicz is becoming real. We saw it two years ago that he had the chances. He did not have a good 2025. I think he lost a lot of confidence. And I think now we're starting to see Jack Kochanowicz show what he's capable of.