Angels recall Sam Aldegheri from Salt Lake after Kochanowicz injury

Jack Kochanowicz’s elbow injury turned into an immediate opening in the Angels’ rotation, and the club moved quickly to fill it with Sam Aldegheri from Triple-A Salt Lake. Kochanowicz lasted only one out against the Dodgers before being placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, and the situation worsened days later when MLB.com reported he would need Tommy John surgery after a torn ulnar collateral ligament diagnosis.

That left the Angels with a live major league innings shortage, and Aldegheri was the arm they trusted to step in. The left-hander, ranked as the organization’s No. 16 prospect by MLB Pipeline, had already spent most of 2026 working between Salt Lake and Los Angeles, giving the Angels a pitcher they know can handle both sides of the roster shuffle.

Aldegheri’s Triple-A line is uneven on paper, with a 3-4 record and 7.24 ERA over 46.0 innings in nine starts for Salt Lake, but the broader picture is more encouraging for a club trying to survive a sudden rotation hit. He has struck out 32 hitters at the level, and his recent form mattered enough to put him back on the major league radar after a strong June 12 start against the Rays, when he began making a case for rotation work.

The Angels also have a track record to lean on. Aldegheri has made five MLB appearances in 2026 and owns a 2-1 record with a 2.12 ERA over 17.0 innings, a useful reminder that the 23-year-old can translate better when the stage gets bigger. For an Angels staff suddenly dealing with the loss of Kochanowicz, that mix of available big league experience and left-handed depth made Aldegheri the cleanest short-term answer.

Aldegheri’s path has made him one of the more followed pitching prospects in the system. Born in Verona, Italy, he signed with the Phillies in June 2019 for $100,000 before eventually reaching the Angels organization, a route that has given Los Angeles a cost-controlled option at a moment when stability matters more than anything. With Kochanowicz headed to the 60-day injured list, the Angels’ quickest fix was not a stopgap but a pitcher already stretched out to take a turn.