ANAHEIM -- After leaving his start with low back tightness after 2 1/3 innings on Sunday, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez landed on the 15-day injured list before Monday’s 4-3 loss in the opener against the D-backs.
It was part of a flurry of moves for the Angels, who also designated veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz for assignment, purchased the contract of right-hander Brett Kerry from Triple-A Salt Lake and called up right-hander José Fermin from Triple-A.
Kerry, brought up to the Majors for the first time in his career, and Fermin are joining the bullpen, as the Angels haven’t determined who will replace Rodriguez in the rotation.
The Angels are optimistic that it’s not a serious injury for Rodriguez, who said on Sunday that he’s been dealing with back issues in recent starts, and it flared up on his second-to-last pitch against the Rays in the third inning.
“I think it’s just precautionary,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “We put him on there so he doesn't rush back and make it worse. Plus, we needed an arm. I don't think it's too concerning. I talked to Grayson today. He didn't seem concerned about it. Obviously, it was bothering him a little bit, and he really felt it on the one pitch.”
Rodriguez, 26, has made six starts this season, posting an 8.06 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 15 walks in 25 2/3 innings. He opened the year on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation and previously hadn’t pitched in the Majors since July 31, 2024, after dealing with a right lat strain and having bone spurs removed from his right elbow last August.
With Rodriguez out, the Angels could turn to right-hander Caden Dana, who started on Sunday with Triple-A Salt Lake. Dana scuffled, allowing seven runs over 3 2/3 innings, but had been pitching better recently with a 1.76 ERA over his previous four starts. Right-hander George Klassen, ranked as their No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is also an option after he started with Salt Lake on Saturday and walked four over three scoreless innings.
“We haven't discussed it yet,” Suzuki said. “Obviously, it is a spot. We’ll go game by game and see what we need, and then we kind of talk about making a decision.”
The Angels are already without Jack Kochanowicz, who is undergoing Tommy John surgery, but No. 16 prospect Sam Aldegheri is taking his spot in the rotation and will start Wednesday. Fellow rookie Walbert Ureña took the mound Monday and gave up four runs (three earned) over seven innings to take a hard-luck loss.
“I felt good,” Ureña said. “Everything was working. It was a lot of soft contact, and I limited hard contact. Just gave up one big hit.”
Kerry, meanwhile, was brought up for the first time after posting a 5.92 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 21 walks in 62 1/3 innings at Triple-A. The 27-year-old found out after a team meeting after Sunday’s game at Triple-A Reno, and his parents and wife, Lilly, and 9-month-old daughter, Palmer, were able to make the trip to Arizona to see his potential debut.
“It's a dream come true,” said Kerry, who threw 581 1/3 innings in the Minors before finally getting the call.
“It’s something I've worked for, obviously, my whole life,” he said. “And to be here, it's a surreal experience. So I'm super excited.”
Pomeranz, 37, was DFA'd after he had a 5.01 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 12 walks in 23 1/3 innings. Pomeranz, who signed a one-year deal worth $4 million in the offseason, last pitched on Sunday, when he threw two innings and gave up a solo homer that saw Wade Meckler run hard into the left-field wall. Meckler left the game an inning later but was back in the lineup against Arizona on Monday.
But Pomeranz was replaced in the bullpen by Fermin, who has a 5.06 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 14 walks in 16 innings in the Majors this season. Fermin threw a scoreless eighth inning in relief of Ureña.
“It's one of those things where we just felt like [Fermin] is the better option, but Drew's been the ultimate professional with us,” Suzuki said. “Great for the younger guys in the bullpen. It was just the time.”