GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Long and lean, it’s not like Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz is unable to get weighty when the need arises.
The 6-foot-7 Kochanowicz unleashed his heavy sinker on Tuesday for the second time this spring, this time against the Cleveland Guardians as he continues to make up for lost time after an illness.
One of several candidates for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation, Kochanowicz worked his way around traffic against the Guardians with three scoreless innings. He gave up three hits with a strikeout and no walks.
It was an improvement on a Feb. 22 start when he gave up two runs (one unearned) over two innings against the Seattle Mariners. In the interim he pitched in one simulated game.
While his outing against the Mariners included three strikeouts, Kochanowicz’s appearance against the Guardians was more to his profile.
That six of the right-hander’s first seven outs came on the ground Tuesday was no surprise. A move to a sinker in the spring of 2023 led to a standout minor-league season, including a promotion to Double-A Rocket City for the first time.
“I’m trying to add stuff, but I’m not trying to get too far away from what I do, which is throw the sinker,” Kochanwoicz said. “I’m not too worried about the strikeouts. If they come, they come, but outs are outs.”
Kochanowicz, 24, started last season at Rocket City as well before the 2019 third-round draft pick was called up to the major leagues for his July 11 debut. After two rough outings he went back to Double-A for a short spell to work on sinker location and he became a revelation.
In nine starts from Aug. 11-Sept. 29, Kochanowicz had a 2.78 ERA in 58⅓ innings. In his first game back in the major leagues, he induced 17 ground balls from the Washington Nationals. He was able to coax 18 more two starts later at Toronto.
“I got three things I like to apply to kids, and the No. 1 thing is listening,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He listened very well last year, and he learned very well last year, and he applied very well. I just want that to continue.
“I want him to absorb all the wisdom and the knowledge that’s floating around this camp. I want him to learn from it and I want him to start applying it, and he did it last year so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t continue. He’s going to get an opportunity to show that.”
FIRST TAKE
Right-hander Samy Natera made his first Cactus League outing and while he did give up a home run in the eighth inning to Jhonkensy Noel, he leaned into his fastball for two strikeouts.
The 25-year-old had a solid showing in the Arizona Fall League when he gave up one earned run in 12 innings pitched over five outings, good for a 0.75 ERA.
“The kid’s got a good arm. He’s not afraid of his fastball,” Washington said. “When (Noel) got him, he came back and continued to hit that strike zone with his fastball.”
A 17th-round draft pick by the Angels in 2022, Natera has made just 27 minor-league appearances (24 starts) for the Angels, outside of the Fall League and has gone 4-9 with a 4.51 ERA. He has 25 appearances at Class-A and two more at the Double-A level.
NOTES
Infielder Luis Rengifo, who was scratched from the lineup on Monday because of hamstring tightness, was feeling better Tuesday and could be back in the lineup before the end of the week. Outfielder Taylor Ward (knee) could be ready to play again as early as Wednesday’s home game against the Dodgers. …
The Angels made additional roster moves, sending a trio of right-handers to minor-league camp: Dakota Hudson, Kevin Caceres and Camden Minacci. Veteran infielder Yolmer Sanchez and outfielder Bryce Teodosio also were reassigned to minor-league camp. Hudson has 132 games of major-league experience (97 starts) over seven seasons, while Sanchez has played in 674 games over eight seasons, but has not been in the major leagues since 2022.