WEST SACRAMENTO — When the Angels traded starting pitcher José Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline in August, they gave him an unexpected shot to play in the postseason.
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Soriano spoke about the opportunity after his start against the Athletics on Sept. 8 when he shut down the hosts over seven innings.
Even with the big personal changes going from Southern California to eastern Canada, Soriano hasn’t been trying to change too much in terms of how he approaches each game.
“Just trying to have the same mentality,” Soriano said. “Try to prepare the same way.”
He’s taking everything in stride, and he’s enjoying playing in competitive games. The right-hander credits the Blue Jays for having a team that is all working together and pulling in the same direction, and he believes that being involved in a chase for a postseason spot has helped him be the best version of himself, playing in meaningful games.
Soriano has struggled in two starts since that conversation, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) over 11⅓ innings against the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. Toronto’s postseason hopes are now a dream, with the Jays trailing the Chicago White Sox by 3½ games with five to play entering Tuesday.
Still, Soriano looks at his decade in the Angels’ organization fondly. When asked about the team’s pending sale following his departure, he said all of his years with the Angels were incredible.
“The people treated me really well there,” Soriano said. “I don’t have something bad to say [about that time]. The news surprised me, to be honest. I never expected it was going to happen this year, but I think it’s a great opportunity for the guys.”
Asked for one former teammate to watch out for, he named his former rotation mate Reid Detmers, who has enjoyed a strong second half of the season. The two spent plenty of time together in the Angels’ rotation since Soriano’s debut in 2023. Since May 24, the left-handed Detmers holds a 2.76 ERA, good for 10th in MLB over that stretch.
“He has another level,” Soriano said.
TROUT’S USAGE IN FINAL WEEK
Mike Trout spent three of the past four games at DH for the Angels, and he occupied that spot again for Tuesday’s series opener against the A’s. Still, there is no set plan in place for the three-time American League MVP for the final week of the season. The 35-year-old outfielder went into the final week of the season having already played 137 games.
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It’s a second consecutive season of good health for Trout, who played in 130 games in 2025 after being limited to 29 in 2024, 82 in 2023 and 36 in 2021 as injuries have cost him significant time in recent years.
“We’ll take it day-by-day,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said before the game. “Most games he’s played since [2018], posting up and never complaining. He never asked for [the time off], I gave it to him. It’s been a treat to have him.
Suzuki said he’s been in Trout’s position during his playing career, and there is no point in going out there and making him run around during these final few games.
“That being said, [Trout] is like, ‘I still want to play in the outfield if I can,’” Suzuki said. “I’ll look for a spot to throw him in there, but we’ll take it day by day.”
AROUND THE BASES
Yusei Kikuchi was set to make his penultimate start of the season on Tuesday, but after an injury-plagued season that has limited the left-hander to 57⅓ innings this season, the hope is just to finish the season strong and try not to do too much.
“Go out there and execute pitches,” Suzuki said. “Attack the strike zone and kind of just do what he does.”
The Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Angels’ Double-A affiliate in Madison, Ala., went into their Tuesday night game with a chance to win the Southern League championship, having already secured a 5-4 victory over the Biloxi (Miss.) Shuckers in the opener of the best-of-three championship series on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Walbert Ureña, 9-10, 2.74 ERA) at Athletics (LHP Jeffrey Springs, 4-14, 6.18 ERA), Wednesday, 6:40 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM
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