Angels Manager Hopes to Not Make Starting Rotation Change All Season

The Los Angeles Angels are the only team in MLB to have an unchanged starting rotation since Opening Day, and manager Ron Washington hopes to keep it that way all season.

“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.”

Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Kyle Hendricks, Jack Kochanowicz and Tyler Anderson are the five Angels to start on the mound this season. Angels starters currently rank 20th in ERA across the league with a 4.27 mark, but they allow the most walks per nine innings and fewest strikeouts per nine innings in the American League.

The Seattle Mariners were the last team to field only five starters throughout the whole season in 2003, though the Cincinatti Reds came close in 2012, using a sixth starter just once thoughout the season.

The Angels have found strong performances from their starters as of late as they've entered a tie for second in the division after a three-game sweep of the Athletics.

Yusei Kikuchi took a perfect game into the fifth inning Monday, posting 7.1 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and one walk. Jose Soriano struck out 12 in his outing Tuesday, where he lasted seven innings and allowed just two hits.

Kochanowicz, Anderson and Hendricks have all allowed double digit home runs this year, however, they have still produced results, as seen from Hendricks' start against the A's on Wednesday.

The Angels have won seven of 10 games in June, and sit just four games back of the division-leading Astros. The Halos will travel to Baltimore to begin a three-game series against the Orioles on Friday, then will play four games against the Yankees in New York.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.