NEWS: Angels pitcher Jose Soriano named AL Player of the Week after phenomenal start to year

After several seasons of mediocrity, starter José Soriano has emerged as one of the early surprises of 2026, earning American League Player of the Week honors after dominant outings that have turned heads across baseball.

Pitching for the Los Angeles Angels, Soriano has looked overpowering from the outset, showcasing a high-velocity fastball and sharp breaking pitches that have kept hitters off balance.

Over his first four starts, Soriano (4-0) allowed just two hits and struck out 10 for a 0.33 ERA. He has allowed just one run over 27 innings, striking out 31 and walking nine.

The Dominican native is the first pitcher since at least 1900 to throw 25 or more innings in his first four games of a season while allowing less than 10 hits and two runs.

After battling injuries and inconsistency earlier in his career, the 27-year-old righty’s emergence is a promising sign for the Angels, who, along with a healthy Steve Trout, were in the thick of the AL West race to start the season.

Sewageboy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration