The Los Angeles Angels are facing a catastrophic starting rotation collapse on the eve of the 2026 regular season. High-profile offseason acquisition Alek Manoah and fellow starter Grayson Rodriguez have both been placed on the 15-day injured list, decimating the pitching staff before the first official pitch is thrown.
The roster implosion comes as the club concludes its spring training slate, finalizing evaluations during the annual angels vs dodgers exhibition matchups. Manager Kurt Suzuki is now forced to rely on unproven minor-league arms to salvage the back end of a rotation that general manager Perry Minasian attempted to rebuild over the winter.
Manoah’s placement on the injured list is retroactive to Sunday and stems from a finger and fingernail issue. The right-hander secured a seven-digit contract and an inside track to the fifth starter role this offseason, despite pitching only 38 innings across four minor league levels last year. His spring performance offered no reassurance, as he posted a 9.39 ERA over 15.1 exhibition innings.
The crisis escalated when Rodriguez was also sidelined with what Suzuki described as a “dead arm.” While the manager framed the move as precautionary, the absence forces prospect Ryan Johnson into an immediate starting role. Jack Kochanowicz is also expected to shoulder heavy innings early in the campaign.
To stop the bleeding in the bullpen, the front office signed veteran reliever Joey Lucchesi to a last-minute deal following his release by the San Francisco Giants. The relief corps is already missing Vaughn Grissom, out with a hand injury, and Ben Joyce, sidelined by a shoulder issue.
The organization must now rely heavily on its lower-profile, cost-effective offseason acquisitions to keep the team competitive in professional sports. Minasian addressed a massive defensive void at second base by signing Adam Frazier to a minor league deal. The Angels generated a 0.0 WAR at the position last season, the third-worst mark in the majors. Frazier, who produced 1.4 bWAR in 134 games last year, brings immediate stability to the infield.
In the bullpen, the club secured Brent Suter on a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Suter carries a career 3.57 ERA over nearly 600 innings pitched and is tasked with providing multi-inning relief to bridge the gap to closer Kenley Jansen. Additionally, the team signed Jeimer Candelario to a league-minimum contract to provide corner infield depth behind Yoan Moncada and Nolan Schanuel.