Angels Place Jack Kochanowicz on IL, Recall Sam Aldegheri

The Angels placed right-hander Jack Kochanowicz on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation and recalled lefty Sam Aldegheri from Triple-A. Kochanowicz will undergo an MRI tomorrow after dealing with the issue in his last three starts. Aldegheri is expected to join the bullpen for now.

Kochanowicz told reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that his elbow has been bothering him in recent outings. The 25-year-old had tried to pitch through the pain but will now focus on recovery. Kochanowicz has posted a 6.05 ERA over 13 starts this season, covering 64 innings with a 5.38 xERA and 4.98 FIP.

Manager Kurt Suzuki was non-committal about keeping Kochanowicz in the rotation before the injury was announced. “We will talk about it and see what our options are,” Suzuki told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Fletcher also noted that Kochanowicz had been struggling mechanically, which may now be linked to his elbow issue.

The move highlights the Angels’ lack of depth in their starting rotation. Behind José Soriano and Reid Detmers, the team has limited options. Soriano has a 2.72 ERA in 76 innings, while Detmers has strong peripherals that suggest a turnaround is possible. Rookie Walbert Ureña has a 2.68 ERA but a 4.53 SIERA due to a high walk rate.

Sam Aldegheri will now make his fourth major league appearance this season. The left-hander has a 7.24 ERA in 46 innings over nine starts at Triple-A in 2026. His MLB track record is not impressive, as he has a 5.26 ERA in 37 2/3 innings from 2024-26.

Caden Dana and George Klassen are also in the mix for rotation consideration. Dana was a Top-100 prospect last year but has struggled at Triple-A this season. Klassen has also not performed well in the minors despite a high ground ball rate.

Kochanowicz has a 54.6% ground ball rate and 72nd-percentile fastball velocity. His slider has improved from -6 run value in 2025 to +1 this year. The Angels can afford to give him time to recover and potentially reclaim his rotation spot.

With Yusei Kikuchi on the 60-day IL, the Angels have only four starters on the active roster. Kochanowicz’s IL placement means the team will need to find a solution quickly. Aldegheri may only stay for one game before being optioned again.

The Angels will host the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday at 10:10 PM ET. The team has until July 31 to make additional roster moves if necessary.