Angels Pitcher Dominates Braves in Historic Start

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss forced to praise opposing pitcher's 'big-time stuff'

Apr. 7, 2026 at 3:24pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the various motions and perspectives of a baseball pitcher's delivery, rendered in bold, clashing colors that capture the raw energy and power of the performance.A cubist interpretation of a dominant pitching performance that stifled the opposing lineup.Los Angeles Today

The Atlanta Braves suffered a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, as Angels pitcher Jose Soriano put on a dominant performance, pitching 8 innings and striking out 10 batters. Braves manager Walt Weiss acknowledged that Soriano had 'some of the best stuff you'll see in this league,' despite his dislike of praising opposing players.

Why it matters

Soriano's historic start, becoming the fourth pitcher in Angels franchise history to meet certain statistical thresholds in each of his first three starts, highlights his emergence as an elite talent in the league. The loss also drops the Braves back to 6-5 on the season, after they had jumped out to a 6-2 start.

The details

In Monday's game, Soriano pitched 8 innings, allowing just 3 hits and recording 10 strikeouts. Braves manager Walt Weiss praised Soriano's 'big-time stuff,' despite his general dislike of complimenting opposing players. The loss drops the Braves to 6-5 on the season, after they had started 6-2.

  • The game took place on Monday, April 7, 2026.

The players

Jose Soriano

A starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels who has put together a historic start to the 2026 season.

Walt Weiss

The manager of the Atlanta Braves, who was forced to praise Soriano's dominant performance against his team.

Austin Riley

An Atlanta Braves hitter who has struggled out of the gate in 2026, failing to record a hit in Monday's game.

Ronald Acuna Jr.

A former NL MVP for the Atlanta Braves who has also struggled at the plate to start the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“It's some of the best stuff you'll see in this league. You hate giving credit to opposing pitchers, but sometimes you have to. That was big-time stuff right there.”

— Walt Weiss, Atlanta Braves Manager

What’s next

The Braves will look to even up the series against the Angels on Tuesday evening.

The takeaway

Soriano's dominant performance against the Braves highlights his emergence as an elite pitcher in the league, while also exposing some early-season struggles for key Braves hitters like Austin Riley and Ronald Acuna Jr. The loss drops Atlanta back to 6-5 on the year after a strong start.