ANAHEIM -- Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz will begin the season as the Angels¡¯ fifth starter, manager Ron Washington announced Monday, with lefty Reid Detmers moving to the bullpen.
Washington said he made the decision by simply ¡°watching the way Kochanowicz pitches.¡±
The manager added: ¡°He¡¯s been doing it since September, all the way through Spring Training. He won the job. Not that Detmers lost it -- we had to make a choice.¡±
Kochanowicz, who made his MLB debut on July 11 last year, started 11 games for the Angels and compiled a 3.99 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. This spring, the 24-year-old posted a 2.92 ERA in four Cactus League starts and struck out seven in 12 1/3 innings. He will start the Halos¡¯ exhibition finale Tuesday against the Dodgers.
¡°Honestly, beyond excited,¡± Kochanowicz said. ¡°Just really, really excited to go out there and continue to win games for this team.¡±
Washington shared the decision with both pitchers on Sunday. Kochanowicz said he gave Washington, general manager Perry Minasian and pitching coach Barry Enright two hugs each after hearing the news.
Then he called his parents.
¡°Obviously, it¡¯s a dream come true to be a starter up here,¡± he said.
Detmers, who has made 75 starts for the Angels since he debuted toward the end of the 2021 season, said he¡¯s hoping to benefit from the change of pace. He posted a 6.70 ERA in 17 starts for the Angels in 2024.
¡°Obviously, being a starter, I wouldn¡¯t say [the move to the bullpen is] ideal or where I¡¯d like to be,¡± Detmers said. ¡°I believe [starting is] where I¡¯ll end up being eventually. But right now, getting off to a different path, trying a change of scenery, seeing if something will work -- I¡¯m looking forward to it, to be honest with you.
¡°Whatever way I can help this team win is what I¡¯m going to do, and right now it¡¯s out of the bullpen. So that¡¯s my role.¡±
Washington said Detmers¡¯ head is ¡°in a very good place.¡±
¡°He just wants to pitch, and whatever he has to do to help the team, he¡¯s willing to do it,¡± Washington said. ¡°Not saying he¡¯s going to be a bullpen piece for the rest of his career, but right now, that¡¯s where he fits for us.¡±
Detmers made his final three Spring Training appearances out of the bullpen and allowed three earned runs over 11 2/3 innings in those outings, with 13 strikeouts.
Detmers said his approach and preparation won¡¯t change too much, but that he does anticipate a slight adjustment period as he transitions from starting to a relief role.
¡°Throwing more than probably once a week, probably throwing twice a week is going to be a little different,¡± he said. ¡°So I¡¯m going to have to get used to that. But I got a lot of good guys around me that I can learn from.¡±