The Los Angeles Angels had a tough 2023. Ohtani’s second MVP stood out as the only bright spot, as they finished 16 games under .500 with Trout missing half the season due to injury. Things only got worse for the Angels in the offseason. Ohtani left to go up the freeway to the Dodgers. No other free agents arrived in Anaheim to resupply the roster (not that there’s a single player in baseball who could replace Ohtani).
As the 2024 season ticks closer, the Angels are in a bad place. They truly will need a miracle for a successful season.
2024 Positives For The Los Angeles Angels
The first and main positive for the Los Angeles Angels remains Mike Trout. Trout still performs at an MVP level when healthy, like in 2021, when he put up a .999 OPS in 119 games. Before Ohtani, Trout was the lone bright spot in the darkness for the franchise. It’s a role he’s used to and arguably thrives in, having won multiple MVPs in this exact situation. If Trout stays on the field, at least the fans will have something to cheer for.
The next positive appears to be Logan O’Hoppe, a young catcher who had 14 HRs in his 51-game rookie year. O’Hoppe ranked #31 in the 2023 midseason MLB Pipeline prospect rankings. If O’Hoppe can grow into a legitimate power-hitting catcher, the Angels may have something to build around in the post-Ohtani era.
2024 Question Marks
Taylor Ward ranks as the biggest question mark for the Los Angeles Angels. Ward missed the back half of the season after a brutal hit by the pitch to the face. He needed facial reconstruction surgery. Ward has had a decent MLB career so far with a 109 OPS+ (where 100 is average), but had a great 2022, posting an .833 OPS in 135 games. The Angels are hoping he can get back on track after recovering from the serious injury.
Next, Reid Detmers is another question mark for the Los Angeles Angels. Detmers had a solid rookie year in 2022, posting a 3.77 ERA, but backslid in 2023. Last season, he posted a 4.48 ERA, and a WHIP over 1.35. If Detmers can take that next step into being a true top-of-the-rotation pitcher, then the Angels at least will have a watchable game every five days.
Los Angeles Angels: 2024 Issues
The first and main issue for the Los Angeles Angels is Anthony Rendon. Rendon has barely played since signing his $245 million mega-deal. From 2021–23, his highest games played number is a staggering 58. His OPS at that time was .701, 158 points below his .859 figure as a Washington National. All of this would be bad enough, however, Rendon has admitted that he doesn’t care all that much whether he plays. Rendon is an albatross around this team’s neck as it stands.
Another glaring issue for this team is the rotation. We already mentioned that Detmers’ performance will be important to the Angels, but beyond Patrick Sandoval, the rest of the rotation is tough to look at. Tyler Anderson had a rather random All-Star campaign for the Dodgers in 2022 but otherwise has been a below-average pitcher for the majority of his career. Canning has an ERA over 4.5 in his career. Silseth is unproven but was once the Angels’ top pitching prospect. If Detmers and Sandoval have seasons more like their 2023 rather than 2022, the rotation will really struggle.
2024 Los Angeles Angels Prediction
This will be a tough year for the Los Angeles Angels. With a shaky lineup that has no depth beyond the first team, and no bona fide pitchers, we can’t see their record being any better than the 73-89 from last year. It doesn’t help being in a competitive division with the reigning World Series champions and the juggernaut Astros. Angels fans, we’ll say a little prayer for you.
About The Author
Ryan Callahan is a freelance writer from Long Island, NY. Ryan graduated with a degree in English from Boston University. A massive baseball fan, Ryan is very much looking forward to this new season.