Angels Ace José Soriano Dominates with Historic Start

Soriano's 0.28 ERA and 39 strikeouts through 5 games put him in elite company

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:57am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting the angular, overlapping planes of José Soriano's pitching motion, with vibrant colors representing the energy and intensity of his historic start to the season.A cubist interpretation of Angels ace José Soriano's dominant start to the 2026 season, with his explosive pitching motion deconstructed into a geometric masterpiece.Los Angeles Today

In just five starts this season, Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano has been nothing short of dominant, posting a minuscule 0.28 ERA and 39 strikeouts. Soriano's historic start has him in rare company, with only Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 and Walter Johnson in 1913 matching his feat of allowing one earned run or fewer in each of his first five starts with at least 15 innings pitched.

Why it matters

Soriano's early-season dominance has been a bright spot for the Angels, who are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 campaign. His ability to overpower opposing lineups has drawn comparisons to some of the game's all-time greats, and if he can sustain this level of performance, it could propel the Angels into playoff contention.

The details

In his latest outing, Soriano pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning, striking out seven batters and allowing just one run in the Angels' 8-0 victory over the Padres. Despite not having his best stuff, Soriano was able to navigate through San Diego's veteran lineup, showcasing his maturity and ability to adjust on the mound.

  • Soriano has an ERA of 0.28 after allowing just one run in his first 32 2/3 innings this season.
  • Soriano leads the majors with 39 strikeouts while allowing only 11 hits, and he's tied with Milwaukee's Aaron Ashby for the lead with five wins.
  • Soriano's 17-inning scoreless streak is the second-longest in the majors this season, and opponents are batting .104 against his 0.73 WHIP — both the best in baseball.

The players

José Soriano

A right-handed Dominican pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels who has been dominant to start the 2026 season, posting a 0.28 ERA and 39 strikeouts in his first five starts.

Jo Adell

A slugger for the Los Angeles Angels who praised Soriano's performance, saying "It's like a hot knife through butter. It's pretty crazy. It's really special, and he's a special talent."

Kurt Suzuki

The manager of the Los Angeles Angels, who was impressed by Soriano's ability to grind through a start without his best stuff, saying "He learned how to navigate a great lineup over there without his best stuff ... and it was pretty incredible."

Craig Stammen

The manager of the San Diego Padres, who praised Soriano's mix of pitches, saying "Knowing him from the past, you always thought of the high-90s sinker, and then he comes in breaking out the curveball. That pitch was very impressive from the dugout."

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What they’re saying

“It's like a hot knife through butter. It's pretty crazy. It's really special, and he's a special talent. He's always had the stuff to compete at this level, and he's doing what an ace does. Whatever he's done, just keep doing it.”

— Jo Adell, Angels Slugger

“The thing that impressed was that to us, he had to grind a little bit tonight. I think that's the maturity showing up, where he's learning how to pitch — and I say this lightly — without his best stuff. He learned how to navigate a great lineup over there without his best stuff ... and it was pretty incredible. You can't say enough.”

— Kurt Suzuki, Angels Manager

“Knowing him from the past, you always thought of the high-90s sinker, and then he comes in breaking out the curveball. That pitch was very impressive from the dugout. Gave our guys trouble at the beginning. It's really hard to lay off that pitch, and it complements his sinker. He did a great job tonight mixing his pitches. ... He's just a really good pitcher.”

— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager

What’s next

Soriano will look to continue his historic start when he takes the mound again next week against the rival Dodgers.

The takeaway

Soriano's early-season dominance has put him in rare company, and if he can sustain this level of performance, it could propel the Angels into playoff contention and cement his status as one of the game's elite pitchers.