With the 2026 MLB season quickly approaching, the Los Angeles Angels have announced that RHP José Soriano will be taking the mound as their Opening Day starting pitcher.
Soriano, 27, will be making his first Opening Day start in his four-year career when the Angels travel out to Houston, Texas, to play the Astros.
Your Opening Day Starter: José Soriano 😇 pic.twitter.com/hIxB9yyzAv
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) March 17, 2026
Soriano originally began his professional baseball career with the Angels in 2016, but would end up playing with the Pittsburgh Pirates after being selected as a Rule-5 draft pick in 2020, a year after he had Tommy John surgery for the first time.
The next year, Soriano was pitching again in the Pirates minor league system, but his season would end short after having Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.
Soriano was returned to the Angels and was attempting to transition from a starting pitcher to a relief pitcher with the club in 2023.
The transition was a success as he pitched in 17 games in Double-A with the Rocket City Trash Pandas. He was later brought up to the Angels MLB roster and made his MLB Debut as a reliever.
In 2024, Soriano went through another transition as the Angels elected to make him a starting pitcher again. Soriano appeared in 22 games that season, and started in 20 of them, pitching in 113 innings and had a 3.42 ERA.
Last season, Soriano made a career high 31 starts in 31 games, 169 innings pitched, pitching with a 4.26 ERA and 152 strikeouts.
This spring training, Soriano has appeared in 3 games and has pitched in 8 2/3 innings while giving up 9 hits, 7 runs, with 10 strikeouts and issuing 3 walks.