Soriano's pitching dominance fuels Angels' win streak, honoring a legend. He's the league's best, showcasing an unhittable arsenal and record-setting performance.
Friday night brought another win for the Los Angeles Angels at the hands of yet another impressive start from right-handed pitcher Jose Soriano. With Soriano dealing on the mound and the bats firing on all cylinders, the Angels’ 8-0 shutout win meant more than just any other victory.
On Friday morning, it was announced that Angels’ legend Garret Anderson had passed away at 53 years old. To honor the club’s all-time hits leader, the Angels went out there in front of their fans on Friday night and dominated the San Diego Padres.
It started with Soriano, who has been nothing short of an ace to start the 2026 campaign. The 27-year-old went 5 ⅔ shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking four, and striking out eight. Through five starts, Soriano has allowed just a single run through 32 ⅔ innings pitched.
There has been no better player in baseball than the Halos’ righty through the first few weeks of the year. His 2.1 WAR after Friday night puts him as far and away the most valuable player of the season, with the second-place player only at 1.7 WAR.
Soriano also leads the American League in wins while being tied with the Milwaukee Brewers’ Aaron Ashby for the most wins across the entire league. Across the board, Soriano is dominating opposing lineups. He possesses the lowest hits per nine, WHIP, and has the most strikeouts in the sport among all qualified pitchers.
He got off to a great start in his first couple of games, but it was easy to assume an inevitable crash back to Earth would come for the previously average starter. Each new start, however, has brought another paramount performance.
There has now been a large enough sample size to confidently say that Soriano is one of the best in baseball with the way he’s playing. It’s no fluke. He isn’t getting lucky.
He ranks near the top of the league in nearly every category on Baseball Savant. Each of Soriano’s pitches, his sinker, curveball, four-seamer, splitter, and slider, has all been more than excellent.
There truly has been no weakness in Soriano’s game thus far, and when he’s on the mound, it looks as if the Angels have no weakness either. A win after a Soriano start has been as sure a thing as you could get in baseball. If you’re looking for how the Angels have been as competitive as they have been to start the year, look no further than their newest ace.