Pitchers and catchers arrived in Tempe today, and so did Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki. The newly-minted skipper will have his work cut out for him this season, but Suzuki has already made one thing perfectly clear — not every spot in the starting rotation is spoken for.

Suzuki spoke to the media on Tuesday and revealed that Yusei Kikuchi, José Soriano, and Reid Detmers will all be part of the Angels’ rotation when the 2026 season gets underway. As for the team’s new additions — Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah — it’ll be a wait and see approach.

Both Rodriguez and Manoah come with some baggage; namely injuries. Rodriguez, who was acquired from the Orioles during the offseason, underwent debridement surgery on his right elbow last August. Manoah spent all last season rehabbing following Tommy John surgery in 2024, and was released by the Toronto Blue Jays last year before being picked up by the Angels.

Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Monoah will have to earn the spots in the Angels’ starting rotation

While Suzuki added a measure of caution, if both Rodriguez and Manoah are healthy, they’ll likely be tabbed as the Angels’ fourth and fifth starters. Rookie Caden Dana should be in the mix as well, along with Sam Aldegheri, Jack Kochanowicz, and Mitch Farris. Tyler Bremner and George Klassen will also be part of Angels spring camp, but neither prospect is expected to make their MLB debut on Opening Day.

The Angels had one of the worst pitching staffs in all of baseball last season. The team’s 4.89 ERA was the worst in the American League, with only the Washington Nationals (5.35 ERA) and Colorado Rockies (5.97 ERA) posting worse numbers. Among starters specifically, LA’s stats were even worse (4.91 ERA), and they occupied the same spot among MLB’s bottom feeders.

The Angels are hoping to see improvement in the rotation. With Detmers returning to the rotation, the additions of Rodriguez and Manoah, as well as instruction from new pitching coach Mike Maddux, it’s certainly possible. Spring training should help to separate the wheat from the chaff, and help Suzuki get the five best arms on the mound.