RADIO
Brett Kerry Earns Call to Majors, Worth a Deep-League Add?
The Los Angeles Angels announced on Monday that they selected the contract of right-handed pitching prospect Brett Kerry from the minors. Kerry will make his first appearance in the big leagues for the last-place Angels after going 3-3 with a 5.92 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, and 59:21 K:BB in 62 1/3 innings pitched across 14 appearances (11 starts) this year with Triple-A Salt Lake. The 27-year-old former fifth-round pick in 2021 out of the University of South Carolina is expected to initially pitch out of the bullpen for the Halos, but he could be pushed to the starting rotation later this week to help fill right-hander Grayson Rodriguez's (back) spot after he was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday. Opportunity is knocking for Kerry, but even fantasy managers in deep leagues may want to hold off on adding the inexperienced pitcher for the time being. Don't be surprised if it's a short stay in the big leagues for Kerry.
Source: Angels PR
Source: Angels PR
Reid Detmers a Top Option for Strikeouts on the Waiver Wire?
Los Angeles Angels left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers has become a strong waiver-wire option for fantasy managers seeking strikeouts. The 26-year-old enters the week with a 2-5 record, 4.00 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts over 81 innings. While his win-loss record and season-long ERA don't fully reflect his recent work, Detmers has posted a 1.73 ERA, 0.54 WHIP, and 36:5 K:BB across his last four starts. That stretch includes 14 strikeouts over eight innings against the Texas Rangers, six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts against the Houston Astros. The Angels may limit his win upside, but the strikeout volume and recent ratio improvements are strong enough to matter in most formats. With his roster rate already up to 64% on Yahoo, Detmers may not be sitting on every waiver wire, but fantasy managers should move quickly in any league where he remains available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Grayson Rodriguez Leaves With Back Tightness, Hopeful to Make Next Start
Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (back) left Sunday's contest against the Tampa Bay Rays early with lower back tightness after just 2 1/3 innings of work. Rodriguez allowed two runs on three hits and two walks before exiting in the third inning after feeling tightness on his second-to-last pitch. He is currently listed as day-to-day and remains hopeful that he will be able to make his next scheduled start. The 26-year-old has struggled mightily in his first season with the Angels, posting an 8.06 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts across six starts. Early indications suggest Rodriguez has avoided anything significant, and a healthy return would give him an opportunity to reset after a difficult start to the season.
Source: Rhett Bollinger
Source: Rhett Bollinger
Jose Soriano Expects to Make his Next Start Despite Being Banged Up
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jose Soriano (chest, leg) looked good on Saturday night against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, but he was forced to leave his start early with chest and leg injuries, according to Jack Janes of The Sporting Tribune. Soriano threw five shutout innings with three hits allowed, two walks, and five strikeouts for his eighth win of the 2026 season. However, he left the game after throwing only 76 pitches and was hit by a 98 mph comebacker on the right side of his chest by the second batter of the game. He stayed in the game, but his chest tightened up between innings, and his legs also began to feel sore. "We wanted to kind of be cautious with him," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. The good news for the Angels and fantasy managers is that the 27-year-old Dominican expects to make his next start. After starting the year by allowing just one run in his first six starts, Soriano entered his start on Saturday with a 5.28 ERA in his previous eight starts, so it was nice to see him pitch well against Tampa. Soriano won't have an easy matchup his next time out in Sacramento against the A's, although he did pick up a quality start with two earned runs allowed, one walk, and seven strikeouts against them in his first meeting in Anaheim on May 21.
Source: The Sporting Tribune - Jack Janes
Source: The Sporting Tribune - Jack Janes
Walbert Urena a Potential Breakout Pitcher?
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Walbert Urena picked up the fourth win of his first season in the big leagues on Tuesday night over the visiting Houston Astros, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing three hits, walking five, and striking out seven. The 22-year-old Dominican hurler is now 4-4 in his rookie season for the Halos with a 2.44 ERA (4.01 FIP) and 1.35 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and 33 walks in 55 1/3 innings pitched over his 12 appearances (10 starts). Urena has exceeded expectations so far in his first big-league season, but his lack of control is something that is keeping him from being a true breakout candidate in his first year. He threw only 59 of his 107 pitches for strikes on Tuesday against Houston, and he has at least three walks in each of his last four starts. His five-walk performance this week was his second such outing of 2026. If Urena can start to limit the free passes, he'll become much more attractive off the waiver wire. Right now, Urena is rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Reid Detmers a Priority Waiver-Wire Target Amidst Current Hot Streak
Across 74 innings (13 starts) in 2026, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers owns a 2-5 record with a 4.26 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts. The left-hander has a rough outing in mid-May against the Athletics, allowing eight earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. However, Detmers has been red-hot since then, allowing just four earned runs while striking out 27 across 19 innings (three starts). With a 2.92 xERA and a 2.92 FIP, Detmers' underlying metrics reflect that his ERA is inflated by a couple of blow-up starts. He also owns an excellent 28.5% strikeout rate and has done a solid job of limiting both walks (7.8% walk rate) and home runs (0.73 HR/9). In any fantasy league where he's not already rostered, Detmers profiles as a high-upside starting pitcher option who should be a priority waiver wire target for managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Reid Detmers on the Verge of a Mid-Career Breakout?
Across 68 innings (12 starts) so far this season, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers has recorded a 2-5 record with a 4.63 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts. While Detmers' inflated ERA is tough to swallow for fantasy managers, a look under the hood at his numbers suggests the 26-year-old may be on the verge of a breakout. Detmers currently owns excellent strikeout (28.5%) and K-BB (20.8%) rates, which are reflected in his 2.96 FIP. The left-hander has been victimized by a brutal 60.9% strand rate, well below his career mark of 69.2%. Detmers is already providing value in the WHIP and strikeout categories for fantasy managers. If his ERA falls in line with his underlying metrics over the course of a larger sample size of innings, Detmers could wind up as one of the waiver-wire steals of the summer for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Reid Detmers Displays his Strikeout Upside With 14-K Performance Sunday Night
Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers had his swing-and-miss stuff working to perfection on Sunday night against the division-rival Texas Rangers in what was a very impressive bounce-back outing. Detmers settled for a no-decision, but fantasy managers who rolled the dice on him to close out the week were handsomely rewarded, as the 26-year-old southpaw allowed only one earned run on a solo home run by Jake Burger while walking none and striking out a season-high 14 batters in a season-high eight innings of work to lower his season ERA to 4.57. The Angels won the game 2-1 at home, but Detmers did not factor into the decision. Still, it was a nice bounce-back outing after he surrendered a season-high eight earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings on May 19 in his last time out against the Athletics. Detmers is only 1-5 on the year, but he has 75 strikeouts and 19 walks in 63 innings across his 11 starts. He has fanned at least six batters in four of his last five starts and also has two nine-K performances in 2026. Detmers is only rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues and is worth a look off the waiver wire if you need strikeouts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Yusei Kikuchi Hopes to Return in the Second Half of the Season
Los Angeles Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (shoulder) said earlier this week that he's set to start his throwing program soon after being diagnosed with left-shoulder inflammation in early May, and he's hopeful that he can return in the early part of the second half of the season, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Kikuchi was placed on the 15-day injured list after leaving his start early after two innings on April 29 with shoulder discomfort. Surgery was never considered an option despite receiving a second opinion from a personal doctor. Kikuchi believes that he can return by late July. Fantasy managers won't be in a rush to pick Kikuchi up off the waiver wire -- he's currently rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues -- after the 34-year-old southpaw had a 5.81 ERA with 33 strikeouts, 14 walks, and three homers allowed in 31 innings over seven starts before his shoulder injury. Managers have quickly forgotten that Kikuchi was an All-Star for the second time in his career in Anaheim in 2025, registering a 3.99 ERA with 174 K's in 178 1/3 innings pitched. UPDATE: The Angels moved Kikuchi to the 60-day injured list on Friday.
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Reid Detmers a Waiver-Wire Target Despite Tuesday's Implosion?
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers allowed eight runs on Tuesday, but he's still a potential waiver wire addition given his consistent ability to generate strikeouts. Detmers' ERA jumped to 5.07 in the loss, but his 3.25 xERA and 3.10 FIP both suggest that he could be due for some favorable regression going forward. We already know he's capable of racking up strikeouts, as he posted 11.31 K/9 last year and is sitting at 9.98 K/9 across 10 starts so far in 2026. He limits walks and home runs, too. Detmers' ugly 1-5 record is a reflection of the Angels' struggles this year, and fantasy managers should feel comfortable adding him off the waiver wire based on his expected metrics and strikeout rate. He's available in 71% of leagues, and he ranks as the #72 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Grayson Rodriguez to Make his Angels Debut on Sunday Against Dodgers
The Los Angeles Angels announced on Friday that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) will come off the 15-day injured list to make his debut with the team in Sunday's series finale against the crosstown-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be a boost for the Halos' starting rotation, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues will probably want to take a wait-and-see approach with a pitcher who will be making his first appearance in the big leagues since 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles due to multiple arm-related injuries. Rodriguez was not ready for the start of the 2026 campaign due to right-shoulder inflammation that began back in spring training. In his two minor-league rehab starts, the former top pitching prospect allowed three earned runs while walking two and striking out 18 over 9 2/3 innings pitched. If healthy, G-Rod will be a staple in the Angels' starting rotation, but there are major concerns as to whether he can return to his pre-injury form as a high-end rotation arm. Rodriguez is currently rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues. DFS managers should be looking to avoid him against the first-place Dodgers.
Source: Angels PR
Source: Angels PR
Grayson Rodriguez Could be Activated to Start on Sunday
Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said the team has considered activating right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to have him make his debut with the team on Sunday against the crosstown-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Right-hander Ryan Johnson is another candidate to make the start in the series finale against the Dodgers on Sunday. Rodriguez pitched in a rehab game last Sunday at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. The 26-year-old looked good at Rancho Cucamonga, allowing two runs while striking out 11 over 4 2/3 innings, and most importantly, he threw 94 pitches. Right-shoulder inflammation has kept the former Orioles top prospect out all year, and he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024 with Baltimore. Rodriguez is a major question mark for fantasy purposes, and he'll be an easy fade if he makes his 2026 debut against L.A. He's currently rostered in just 15% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Grayson Rodriguez Fans 11 in Rehab Start at Single-A
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) turned some heads in his second minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 26-year-old allowed two earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out 11 in just 4 2/3 innings pitched. Rodriguez also had a wild pitch and hit a batter, but he got up to 94 pitches in the outing, so he may not need another rehab start before being activated from the 15-day injured list. He threw 63 of his 94 pitches for strikes. In his first rehab outing in the Arizona Complex League last week, Rodriguez allowed just one earned run with seven strikeouts and no walks in five innings. He has looked sharp down on the farm, but it has also come against weak competition. The former Orioles top prospect is nearing his Angels regular-season debut and is worth a look for fantasy managers in deeper leagues who need rotation arms. Right now, Rodriguez is only rostered in 13% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
