Jose Soriano took the mound for his Spring Training finale on Friday as the Los Angeles Angels took on the Chicago White Sox in a split-squad game. And he certainly saved his best for last, putting together one of the best starts of the Spring by any Angels pitcher.
Soriano tossed six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. He did so in only 71 pitches, an average of only 11.8 pitches per inning. The Angels went into the spring having made the decision to stretch Soriano out as a starter after a breakout rookie season in the bullpen last year. And now that he’s met the challenge with such success, the Angels have a decision on their hands.
They could bring him onto the Major League roster to begin the 2024 season as a reliever, as they still have a couple of undetermined bullpen spots. Or they could send him to Triple-A to continue working as a starter, as their five-man rotation for the season is already set.
Angels manager Ron Washington, who is still undecided on how the team plans to approach Soriano, spoke about what the starter-reliever needs to work on to begin the season after such a dominant end to the Spring, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
“I like his size, I like his strength and I like his stuff,” Washington said. “It’s just a matter of him just learning how to get through six to seven innings instead of two or three. That’s part of the growth. But he has the quality to do anything that we ask of him.”
A decision has to be made in the next few days with the Angels playing their final Spring Training game on Saturday. However, Soriano is not concerned and is ready to do whatever is asked of him by the Angels.
“I’m prepared for any role,” Soriano said through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “I don’t have any preference at the moment. But I’m ready to go.”
Soriano, 25, still can impact the game in whatever role the Angels determine for him. While being on the Major League roster might be a better short-term move, if the Angels see serious potential in him as a starter, it may be better long term for him and the team if he starts the season as a Triple-A rotation starter.
Angels bringing five outfielders onto Opening Day roster
Washington confirmed earlier this week that the Angels plan on rostering five outfielders on Opening Day. This list includes the obvious Mike Trout and Taylor Ward alongside the platoon trio of Mickey Moniak, Aaron Hicks and Jo Adell.