The Angels are nearing a major rotation decision with on the verge of returning from a lengthy shoulder injury. Despite posting disastrous numbers across his four rehab outings, Kikuchi believes he is ready to rejoin Los Angeles’ starting rotation.
He has surrendered 22 hits, five home runs and 22 earned runs over 12â…” rehab innings, though he has also recorded 24 strikeouts. The Angels could send him out for one more minor league start, but he has already reached 80 pitches and appears physically prepared for a return.
Once he is activated, someone will have to leave the rotation. Reid Detmers, Walbert Ureña and George Klassen appear safe, leaving Ryan Johnson and Grayson Rodriguez as the most likely candidates.
On the surface, Rodriguez’s 7.17 ERA would make him an obvious choice. Johnson hasn’t been much better, carrying a 6.41 ERA, but his long-term potential makes him more valuable to the Angels.
Rodriguez has also struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. He has never made more than 23 starts in a season and missed all of 2025 because of injuries. Since joining the Angels, he has already spent time on the injured list with shoulder inflammation and back problems.
Johnson, meanwhile, is only 24 and still has room to develop. His career has been complicated by the Angels’ constant changes to his role, as he has bounced between the minors, rotation and bullpen without receiving consistent development time.
With the Angels looking toward the future under John Mozeliak, keeping Johnson and sending Rodriguez down could be the smarter long-term decision. The club has little reason to protect an offseason trade simply to justify an old roster decision, especially when Johnson still offers more upside.
