The Los Angeles Angels designated veteran left-hander Drew Pomeranz for assignment in an MLB roster reshuffle that also sent right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the 15-day injured list with low back inflammation.
The club transaction was listed by MLB and reported by MLB Trade Rumors. Los Angeles selected the contract of right-hander Brett Kerry and recalled right-hander Jose Fermin from Triple-A Salt Lake in the corresponding moves.
Pomeranz Leaves Angels Bullpen Picture
Pomeranz, 37, signed a $4 million deal with the Angels for 2026 after reviving his major league career with the Chicago Cubs last season. The gamble did not hold for Los Angeles.
MLB Trade Rumors reported that Pomeranz worked 23 1/3 innings for the Angels this season with a 5.01 ERA, after missing a brief period in May because of elbow inflammation. The underlying indicators were not kinder: a 14.8% strikeout rate, an 11.1% walk rate, a 6.32 FIP and a 5.45 SIERA.
The designation gives the Angels a short window to trade Pomeranz, place him on waivers or release him. Because of his service time, MLBTR noted that he can reject an outright assignment while keeping his remaining salary, so a release is a realistic outcome if no trade develops.
Rodriguez Injury Deepens Rotation Problem
The same transaction batch put Rodriguez on the injured list with low back inflammation, adding another rotation problem for an Angels club already short on reliable innings.
MLBTR reported that Yusei Kikuchi has been out for nearly two months because of shoulder inflammation and that Jack Kochanowicz required Tommy John surgery this month. Rodriguez's injury leaves the Angels trying to cover another rotation spot while sitting at 29-43, tied with Kansas City for the worst record in the American League.
The standings context matters because the club was still only 6 1/2 games out of a playoff place in a muddled AL race, according to MLBTR. That gap is harder to attack when the starting-pitching depth chart keeps losing names.
Brett Kerry Gets First Major League Call
Kerry's promotion is the forward-looking part of the move. The 2021 fifth-round pick has continued to work as a starter in the minors and now reaches the majors for the first time.
MLBTR described Kerry as a command-oriented pitcher whose fastball sits in the low 90s and who mixes a cutter, slider, curveball and changeup. His Triple-A results have been rough, with a 6.89 ERA across 271 2/3 innings at Salt Lake in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
It is not yet clear whether the Angels will use Kerry as a starter or long reliever. He has a full set of major league options, which gives Los Angeles flexibility if the immediate need changes after this roster reset.
The official move is simple: Pomeranz is off the active roster, Rodriguez is on the injured list and Kerry gets a major league opportunity. For the Angels, the larger issue is less tidy, because their pitching staff has lost both performance and health at the same time.