The Los Angeles Angels saw another year go by without a playoff appearance and suffered some severe losses to the lineup and rotation. Is there a path back to the postseason for the Angels this year? If so, there will be a lot that goes right.

2023 SEASON IN-REVIEW

Record: 73-89, 4th in AL West

Postseason: N/A

The Angels finished with 73 wins for the second consecutive year in 2023. They failed to win 80 games for the fourth year in a row, not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Los Angeles will see some turnover that might make it difficult to compete once again but anything can happen over the course of the summer.

2024 SEASON PREVIEW

Key Losses: DH/SP Shohei Ohtani, RF Randal Grichuk, 3B Gio Urshela, CF Aaron Hicks

Key Additions: RP Robert Stephenson, RP Matt Moore, SP Zach Plesac

It was another injury-plagued season for the Angels in 2023. Mike Trout played just 82 games while Anthony Rendon, and his disastrous contract, was on the field for 43 games. Rendon has failed to appear in more than 58 games since signing with the Angels four years ago.

The big move of the offseason was bringing in veteran manager Ron Washington. Eric Young Sr. is the new first base and the leadership will be brand new in Los Angeles. That is step one. Step two would be to add talent with Trout in the lineup. If Rendon is healthy, he adds a bat with Brandon Drury at DH. Nolan Schanuel is the top prospect in the organization and saw the field toward the end of 2023. The hope is that the first baseman can take a step forward this year.

The rotation continues to be full of question marks and “what ifs?” Zach Plesac and Adam Cimber have a chance to compete for spots in a rotation that features Tyler Anderson and Reid Detmers at the top. The bullpen remains the biggest problem for the Angels but Robert Stephenson adds a strong arm. This was one of the highlights of a dreary offseason on one side of Los Angeles.

Over the last 10 years, the Angels have had the MVP of the American League on the roster five times (3 from Trout, 2 from Ohtani). Miraculously enough, this has led to one playoff appearance and no wins. The Angels were swept out of the Divisional round a decade ago. Since then, they have not made the postseason.

If the Angels want to break that streak, the team will have to be full healthy, along with many other factors that will need to go right.

Potential Starting Lineup

1. Mickey Moniak, OF
2. Nolan Schanuel, 1B
3. Mike Trout, OF
4. Anthony Rendon, 3B
5. Taylor Ward, OF
6. Brandon Drury, DH
7. Luis Renigfo, 2B
8. Logan O’Hoppe
9. Zach Neto, SS

Potential Rotation

• Reid Detmers
• Griffin Canning
• Patrick Sandoval
• Tyler Anderson
• Chase Silseth

Final Record Prediction: 75-87