ANAHEIM — If anybody knows the value of keeping a starting rotation healthy over the course of a season, it is Angels manager Ron Washington.
As the Texas Rangers’ manager from 2007-14, Washington took the club to the World Series twice, including in 2011 when five starters on the staff made at least 29 starts. When the team went to the 2010 World Series, four pitchers made at least 22 starts.
This season, the Angels are the only club to have used just five starters.
While the group’s combined 4.29 ERA has not quite met expectations while ranked 26th in MLB play heading into Wednesday’s game, the club has not had to test its starting depth just yet.
During the current turn in the rotation, left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and right-hander Jose Soriano each had their best starts of the season. Kikuchi took a perfect game into the fifth inning Monday and Jose Soriano had a no-hitter into the sixth Tuesday.
“It’s nice to have,” Washington said. “We’re just in June. I’m not saying that something may not happen, because something always happens in the game, but it would be nice if those five guys continued to take the ball.”
While right-hander Jack Kochanowicz is just 3-7 with a 5.61 ERA through 13 starts of his first full season, Washington has nothing but trust for the 2019 third-round draft pick.
Kochanowicz, who is scheduled to start Friday at Baltimore to open a seven-game road trip, is currently scuffling with four runs allowed in each of his past four outings. He hasn’t completed four innings in either of his last two.
“Early on in his major-league career, with adversity he was able to sit down and handle it,” Washington said. “And then he let adversity get to him, because what do young kids do? Start worrying if they are going to get sent down. He’ll never tell you that, but that’s in their mind.”
Washington made no promises but did not sound as if a demotion was in the team’s plans. He wants Kochanowicz to slow down his heart rate on the mound, instead of pressing to make results happen.
“You back off and the mental part of the game becomes better to decipher,” Washington said. “When you have your mental side right, you’re normal. When you don’t have your mental side right, it’s rolling. It’s like the lottery machine. You see when those lottery balls are bouncing around in there? That’s the kind of (crap) that’s happening in their heads.”
One of Kochanowicz’s better outings came against the Orioles last month when he gave up one run in 5⅔ innings of a May 10 home start. He earned the win in that outing, and another win six days later against the Dodgers. Since then, he is 0-2 with a 7.90 ERA in 13⅔ innings.
“He’ll get it right. He’s young,” Washington said. “Early on, I heard people saying to move him out, send him down. For what? The best we’ve got is right here. They don’t have anything down there better than what we have right here so fix it. Let him go through it. He’s going to be better for it. It’s not like he can’t compete.”
WIDE AWAKE
Nolan Schanuel was back to work bright and early Wednesday morning, doing defensive drills on the grass behind home plate more than three hours before the 1 p.m. first pitch.
After his game-ending single to center field in the 10th inning, Schanuel was all smiles even as he admitted to a lack of sleep Tuesday night. It was the first walk-off game winner of his young career.
“I tried to go to bed but the adrenaline was going so I couldn’t do it,” Schanuel said, adding that he got by with some cat naps through the night.
Since collecting two hits in last Wednesday’s road-trip finale at Boston, Schanuel entered Wednesday’s game 10-for-25 (.400) over his previous six contests with four doubles and five RBIs.
GOOD VIBRATIONS
The Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds” was playing in the Angels’ clubhouse Wednesday morning not long after the announcement that singer and co-founder Brian Wilson had died at 82. The Angels have leaned into a sand-and-surf vibe in recent seasons with cream-colored City Connect uniforms that have been marketed with a beach theme.
ALSO
Third baseman Yoan Moncada is taking swings off a tee but his recovery from right knee inflammation has been “slow,” according to Washington. Moncada went to the injured list June 2 and is eligible to return Friday but still can’t plant his back leg on his swing. …
Newly acquired first baseman/outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. did not start again in his second game with the club while Washington vowed to get him some time in the field “as soon as I can.”
UP NEXT
After an off day Thursday, Angels (RHP Jack Kochanowicz, 3-7, 5.61 ERA) at Orioles (TBD), 4:08 p.m. PDT Friday, Apple TV+, 830 AM
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