Who’s Hot, Who’s Not #5 (5/3-9)
May 11, 2025 - Written by Kian Behravan
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
Another week has passed, so it’s time for another Who’s Hot, Who’s Not! Every week, I pick two players who have done well and two who haven’t done as well. Usually, it’s a pitcher and a hitter on both sides, but there have been some exceptions. This week will go as normal.
The Halos went 3-3, including a walk-off win against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. Even with the .500 record on the week, the pitching staff is still struggling, and most of the Angels’ bats have not woken up. However, this doesn’t mean players showed through the cracks this week.
Pitchers:
Hot! Yusei Kikuchi
Although Yusei Kikuchi only had one start this week, I’ll also look at his start from last week. In his last two starts, Kikuchi threw 11 innings and gave up just three earned runs while striking out 11 and walking 2. The stat that jumped out for him was his strike percentage, which sat at 71% in those two starts combined. That’s up from 61% for the rest of the season. He had more command over his slider, as most misses were below the zone, likely as two-strike pitches. He was also able to use his slider as a putaway pitch, something that was not seen as frequently over March and April. Kikuchi’s breaking balls are his best pitches according to run value (3; 87th percentile). If he can continue building off his average-level fastball, he’d become a more consistent starter as the season continues.
Not… Jack Kochanowicz
It’s time for something to change with Jack Kochanowicz. He’s getting too deep into counts, making horrible pitches and paying the price. For example, he got stuck in a 3-2 count against Colt Keith, and he served up a middle-middle fastball that was taken 400 feet to right-center field. No matter how much Keith or any hitter struggles, a non-competitive fastball in the zone will be a consequence for any pitcher. On top of that, his command is not present at any moment. Of the 77 pitches Kochanowicz threw, just 34 were in the strike zone. That’s a 44% strike rate. He relies too heavily on his sinker, which is not getting the job done. He has to lean more on offspeed and breaking pitches to hopefully keep the ball soft and on the ground. In his seven starts this season, Kochanowicz has given up seven home runs. A total reset needs to happen, which would force a trip to the minors.
Hitters:
Hot! Zach Neto
Since coming back, Zach Neto has been on a tear. This week. He hit close to .300 and has been seeing the ball well. He’s also been a threat on the basepaths, swiping three bags in three attempts. He’s been jumping on fastballs, hitting them hard. This week, he posted an average exit velocity of 94 MPH with a max EV of 105.5 (single off Chris Bassitt on 5/8). Just three of his balls put in play were hit under 90 MPH. Another thing that stands out is the 33% strikeout rate for the week. He’s been hitting more to the pull side lately, and pitchers are seeing that. When they have two strikes on him, they work down and away, out of the zone. They’re using waste pitches to get him to strike out swinging, something that could prove to be detrimental in high-leverage situations, when pitch selection matters most. If Neto can work on simple pitch recognition, it will help with those strikeouts. He’s been off to a hot start this season, and the team hopes he can keep it up as the year continues.
Not… Kyren Paris
Kyren Paris got off to an insane start to 2025, hitting .400 and crushing five homers in the first 13 games. Now, he’s hitting .214 on the season and has just 1 home run since. This week, he went 4-19 (.211) with eight strikeouts. Pitchers have been throwing the ball high and outside, causing him to constantly pop it up for an easy out. This could likely be due to his long swing going out to get the ball, resulting in a lack of bat control throughout the swing. He tends to have a loop in his swing, which causes him to either miss or pop up high pitches. Kyren Paris just needs to shorten up at the plate. It’s obvious his contact rates are declining, so he needs to sacrifice some power to get back in that same groove he was in to start the season.
It’s still a hard season for the Angels, but if more players can replicate just half of what these guys are doing well by making small changes, the team could see consistent success for a change. See you next week on Who’s Hot, Who’s Not!
Disclaimer : (1) All photos are not owned by InsideHalos and have been given proper credit beneath each photo. (2) Links of players are property of MLB, MiLB, and Baseball Reference. (3) InsideHalos is a fan-made site not affiliated with Angels Baseball.
