The Los Angeles Angels are approaching an important pitching decision with veteran left-hander Yusei Kikuchi nearing his return from a lengthy injury absence.
Kikuchi has been sidelined since April 29 because of shoulder inflammation, missing most of the 2026 campaign. However, his latest rehabilitation outing on August 15 appears to have moved him closer to rejoining the Angels’ rotation.
His rehab statistics have been unusual. Across four outings, Kikuchi has surrendered 22 hits, five home runs and 22 earned runs over 12⅔ innings. At the same time, he has recorded 24 strikeouts, showing that his ability to miss bats remains intact despite the rough results.
The 35-year-old believes he is ready to return to the majors. The Angels could still ask him to make one more minor-league appearance, but he has already built up to 80 pitches, meaning another outing would likely be more about regaining sharpness than building his arm strength.
Once Kikuchi returns, however, Los Angeles will have to make room for him in the rotation.
Reid Detmers and Walbert Ureña appear secure, while George Klassen has impressed since returning from Salt Lake. That seemingly leaves Ryan Johnson and Grayson Rodriguez competing for the final spot.
Rodriguez could be the odd man out
Although both Johnson and Rodriguez have struggled, Rodriguez appears to be the more logical candidate for a demotion.
Johnson currently owns a 6.41 ERA, while Rodriguez has struggled even more, carrying a 7.17 ERA. Those numbers alone could make either pitcher vulnerable, particularly because both have minor-league options available.
Rodriguez’s injury history further complicates his case. Since entering professional baseball, the 26-year-old has never made more than 23 starts or thrown more than 122 innings in a season. Lat problems have repeatedly interrupted his development, and he missed the entire 2025 season because of a lat strain and subsequent elbow injury.
His first season with the Angels has also been disrupted by injuries, including shoulder inflammation and lower-back problems.
Although Rodriguez has demonstrated the ability to pitch effectively when healthy, he has yet to establish himself as a dependable frontline starter. His inability to consistently remain on the mound remains a major concern.
Johnson still offers more upside
Ryan Johnson’s situation is different.
The 24-year-old has also dealt with injuries and illness this season, but his development has been complicated by the Angels’ handling of his role.
Johnson entered professional baseball without throwing a minor-league pitch and was immediately used as a high-leverage reliever. After that approach failed, he was sent to High-A and converted into a starter.
Since then, he has repeatedly moved between the majors and minors, while also switching between starting and relief roles. Such constant changes have made it difficult for him to establish a consistent development path.
That could be the biggest reason the Angels should continue giving Johnson opportunities.
Los Angeles already has a reasonable idea of what Rodriguez can offer, and his 2026 performance has not been encouraging. Johnson, meanwhile, still has room to develop and could potentially become a useful part of the club’s future rotation.
Angels should prioritize the future
The Angels also shouldn’t allow the circumstances of Rodriguez’s acquisition to influence their decision.
Rodriguez arrived in Anaheim as part of the return for Taylor Ward, and there could previously have been pressure within the organization to continue giving him opportunities in order to justify that transaction.
But the Angels’ current leadership has little reason to protect past decisions.
John Mozeliak’s priority should be building the team’s future rather than trying to prove previous moves were successful. If Kikuchi is ready to return, Los Angeles should make the pitching decision based on performance, health and long-term potential.
For now, that could mean sending Rodriguez back to the minors while continuing to give Johnson an opportunity to develop.
Kikuchi’s return may therefore trigger more than simply another addition to the Angels’ rotation—it could also mark an important decision about which young pitchers deserve a place in the team’s future.
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