ANAHEIM, Calif. - The run that José Soriano has been on to start his 2026 season has been nothing short of historic. Through his first six starts of the season, Soriano has a minuscule 0.24 ERA, allowing just one run across those six starts, with a 0.82 WHIP and 43 total strikeouts.
It’s the lowest ERA in a pitcher’s first six starts since earned runs were first counted in both the American and National Leagues in 1913 and he’s become the first pitcher to allow just one run in his first six starts of a season since 1900.
There was a glimpse of this potential in 2025, but shaky splits between home and away games kept Soriano from truly reaching that upper echelon. Now, though? Soriano is doing things that no one has ever done before and it's a credit to the kind of work that he’s put in behind the scenes to reach this new height.
José Soriano has a 0.24 ERA 🤯That's the lowest ERA (min. 30 IP) through a pitcher's first 6 starts of a season since 1913 when earned runs became official in both leagues! pic.twitter.com/Fp2qnaWMNS
“It's special. Watching him go to work every single day, not just the days he starts, but the days that he gets his work in, how he is in the clubhouse,” Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “You watch him work and the guy's a physical specimen. So, it's awesome to watch. It's tremendous.”
It’s been a dedicated effort for Soriano to get to his point. The stuff that has made nigh-unhittable so far in 2026 has always been at his disposal, but coming into the league at 24-years-old, all that Soriano was missing was the physical and mental adjustments to be able to use his talents to their full effect.
José Soriano is the first MLB starting pitcher since 1900 to allow one-or-fewer total runs through his first six starts of a season (excluding Openers).Soriano now has a 0.24 ERA (37.2 IP - 1 ER) on the year.
That was an emphasis of this past offseason after 2025 gave him the confidence to establish himself. Being named the Angels’ Opening Day starter in 2026 was another vote of confidence from Soriano’s team that helped him get to this point and that combination of renewed mental confidence and physical strength has allowed him to realize his potential.
“Mentally… I have more [strength] and physically too,” Soriano said after his April 17 win over the San Diego Padres. “Learning a lot from the past and taking the good things and trying to use them right now.”
José Soriano has been electric in 2026 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/TfPvIp6Pke
Soriano commands a vast arsenal of pitches that he’s been able to use to such an equal effectiveness that no matter what situation he’s in, he’s often been getting the results he wants.
His four-seam routinely touches 98 MPH or higher while a mix of curveball, sinker, splitter and the occasional slider all peppered across the zone means that hitters squared off against him truly don’t know what to expect.
Jose Soriano #59 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 19, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“He can throw anything in any count. The PitchCom feels like a video game controller on my knee,” Logan O’Hoppe said. “Even when he shakes I have no problem with it because I know something nasty is coming after.”
O’Hoppe has had a personal look at the way that Soriano has grown over the past four seasons that the two have shared a battery. He's had an especially close look at Soriano’s growth in 2026, catching all six of his starts, though O’Hoppe’s recent wrist injury will have to separate the duo for the time being.
Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano (59) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers, February 21st, 2026 in Tempe Arizona.
It’s an intimate relationship between catcher and pitcher and O’Hoppe more than anyone has grown to understand just what Soriano has been capable of. Now, he gets to see the rest of the baseball world notice what he’s already known about his pitcher.
“It’s awesome. He’s definitely developed a lot as the years have gone past,” O’Hoppe said. “Been through some tough days, me and him together. Some good ones too. But, it’s awesome to see him put it all together because it’s a lot of fun to see him out there.”
Is José Soriano the best pitcher in baseball right now?!The @Angels starter has honed his stuff and @Plesac19 thinks he might be 👀 pic.twitter.com/9KRikEStKv
It’s not just O’Hoppe on the Angels roster that’s impressed. Nolan Schanuel described the experience of sitting in as a hitter against Soriano during Spring Training and being blown away by what he was seeing. It left Schanuel grateful that the only time he has to face off against Sorian is in a simulated situation and sympathetic to the hitter that have to fame him for real.