Pitchers the Angels Already Know Will Make the Opening Day Roster

When the Angels play their first game of the regular season in Houston they will have thirteen pitchers on the roster. Five of those will be starting pitchers and another eight will head to the bullpen.

Many of these roster spots are secure barring injury. Camp battles will determine who makes the cut for the other jobs and who heads to the minor leagues.

Yusei Kikuchi leads a rotation that has four of five spots locked in.

Yusei Kikuchi put up a stellar 3.3 bWAR season in 2025, pitching 178.1 innings. He started 33 games, struck out 174 batters and posted a 3.99 ERA. Kikuchi will leave Angels camp to play for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and is a lock to be the Opening Day starter.

Jose Soriano is slated for the second spot in the rotation on the strength of his 2.4 bWAR season in 2025. Soriano took the hill 31 times, all starts, and looked brilliant at times; mostly on the road. Already reaching triple digits on his fastball in camp, Soriano could be a breakout candidate thanks to new Angels pitching coach Mike Maddux.

2020 first round pick Reid Detmers will move back into the rotation after spending 2025 in the bullpen. The move to late innings helped Detmers develop a one batter at a time approach that saw his rate of long balls drop to a new career low while his strikeout rate climbed to a new high. Now the key is seeing if he can keep it up for six innings per appearance.

Brought over in exchange for Taylor Ward, Grayson Rodriguez is a talented youngster whose career has been derailed by injuries. Rodriguez and the Angels are hoping an off season elbow cleanup will smooth our his mechanics and keep him on the mound in 2026.

As constructed the team lacks a fifth starter. A camp battle will likely determine if Alex Manoah, George Klassen or someobdy else takes the job. Even if the team finds some TV money and picks up a veteran, he won't be ready for Opening Day.

Kirby Yates leads the bullpen.

It is highly unikely Ben Joyce will be ready for the start of the season. Robert Stephenson is saying the right things but has yet to appear in a Cactus League game. At this point it is safe to assume Stephenson will miss at least the beginning of the year.

Kirby Yates is reuniting with his former pitching coach Mike Maddux and that could make him a real weapon. The last time they worked together Yates put up video game numbers: 61.2 innings, 33 saves, and a microscopic 1.17 ERA.

Drew Pomeranz has been really good since moving to the bullpen and could be a sneaky good pickup. He'll be in Houston with the Angels after a really solid season pitching for the Cubs last year.

Jordan Romano was also signed to a one year free agent deal and is a lock to make the Opening Day roster.

Signed right as camp was opening, lefty Brent Suter is also on a Major League deal and will make the roster.

Beyond that, there are a number of possibilities to fill the final four bullpen spots. Two of them will be placeholders while the team hopes Joyce and Stephenson get healthy. The bullpen is the most wide open competition and the most intriguing storyline as Spring Training progresses.