Angels' 3.03 ERA starter given 'regression' warning for Blue Jays, Cubs
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Angels' 3.03 ERA starter given 'regression' warning for Blue Jays, Cubs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Angels are well on their way to another terribly disappointing season.
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Before Mike Trout got hurt, he was on the verge of making his first All-Star appearance since 2019. Whether he plays in the Midsummer Classic is undetermined.
Even with Trout's resurgence at the plate, the Angels are bottom dwellers in the American League. That's a main reason they could consider trading one of their top starting pitchers.
But should contending teams be wary of poor underlying numbers? Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller believes so.
"[Jose] Soriano has a 3.03 ERA, but that can be split into a 0.24 mark through his first six scintillating starts and a 4.97 ERA since," Miller wrote. "Already, he has lost a lot of that early-season luster."
Soriano's first month and change of the season had him in very early Cy Young Award candidate conversations. But he's cooled down since and allows way too many free passes.
"And because he has issued an MLB-high 46 free passes this season—something he has struggled with throughout his four seasons in the big leagues, entering 2026 with a walk rate of 4.1 per 9 IP—Soriano's FIP (3.88), xFIP (3.71) and xERA (4.12) all suggest that continued regression lies ahead," Miller added.
Clubs that need starting pitching reinforcements, most notably the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs, will do their due diligence on Soriano before making a deal.
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It should be noted that the right-hander does not become a free agent until after the 2028 season, so the trade package may be higher than people would expect.
But in recent history, the Angels have shown a propensity to hold onto trade candidates for far too long. Shohei Ohtani is the best example.