The Angels haven’t modified. It’s Mike Trout who’s worse.
The Angels are unhealthy. It’s the truest factor about them. Their hitting is unhealthy, their pitching is unhealthy, their fielding is unhealthy, and every thing else is unhealthy, too. This isn’t breaking information. They’ve completed under .500 every year since 2015, the one crew to not make the postseason in that point. However expectations have reached a brand new low as we enter 2026:
Angels Preseason Projections
| Yr | Playoff Odds | Projected Wins | Projected WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5.2% | 72.5 | 27.2 |
| 2025 | 9.5% | 75.1 | 32.1 |
| 2024 | 16.8% | 77.6 | 30.6 |
| 2023 | 48.0% | 83.5 | 37.7 |
| 2022 | 44.7% | 83.3 | 38.2 |
| 2021 | 39.5% | 84.7 | 36.7 |
| 2019 | 19.5% | 82.3 | 36.0 |
| 2018 | 27.1% | 82.5 | 37.7 |
| 2017 | 33.3% | 82.7 | 36.2 |
| 2016 | 26.5% | 80.7 | 32.9 |
Supply: Depth Charts, Steamer
I used to be initially skeptical of those figures, or at the very least the path of them. How may the Angels presumably be going backwards? They don’t appear to be rebuilding, and their depth chart appears to be like the identical as ever: a number of really good gamers, a number of gamers who could be good in the event that they had been taking part in a special place (or maybe in a special group), a number of gamers who had been drafted far too not too long ago, a number of getting old veterans who had been practically All-Stars at one level, and Trout.
Then it hit me:
Trout established himself because the league’s prime participant by the top of 2012. Alongside a number of once-great-now-32 batters, the 2012-14 Angels had one of the best lineup within the majors by wRC+. I wouldn’t describe their standing as bountiful by any means, nevertheless it wasn’t too stunning to see them win 98 video games in 2014. There was one thing there.
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Then they obtained steamrolled by the Royals within the ALDS. On the opposite facet was a novel tackle mediocrity.
Trout was nonetheless a titan from 2015 to 2019. These years stay the 5 finest preseason participant projections ever spit out by Steamer. He backed it up on the sector, too, setting a brand new customary for greatness in an more and more measured sport.
However the Angels’ roster shifted round him in questionable methods. Acquainted veterans aged out and gave technique to lesser fashions of the identical ilk. Prospects had been rushed by way of the system to fill within the gaps. These rosters weren’t fairly unhealthy on paper — the Angels had been tenth by Steamer’s preseason projections over this era — however they lacked a coordinating logic, an esprit de corps. You couldn’t rely them out; you wouldn’t dare rely them in. Because it occurs, no crew underperformed their projections extra over these 5 seasons. They aimed low and missed.
Nonetheless, there was momentum into the 2020s, even when it could be described as “hurtling violently.” Trout remained superlative, Shohei Ohtani needed to play with him, and Anthony Rendon initially appeared proof against the ills of Anaheim. Doubt was excessive, however the crew’s relevance was simple. So, as soon as once more, they hustled their prospects to the majors and returned to the junk drawer of free company, fielding more and more weird lineups for implausible sums of money.
You already understand it didn’t work. Ohtani was sensational, however Rendon’s deal turned an albatross. Trout struggled to remain on the sector, with the flashes of greatness instantly fewer and farther between. The remainder of the roster? It was the identical because it ever was.
Angels within the OAAtfield
That brings us to in the present day. Ohtani is gone. Rendon is gone (although his ghost simply signed an extension). Trout is now not one of the best participant in baseball — he’s not even one of the best participant on his crew:
Angels 2026 Projections (Min. 1 WAR)
Supply: FanGraphs Depth Charts
That distinction belongs to Zach Neto. He simply turned 25 and is coming off back-to-back 3-plus WAR seasons. His fast competence is so uncommon in Anaheim that followers are already questioning when he’ll depart. He lead all shortstops in ISO final 12 months and was an amazing baserunner besides, making him a precious power-speed choice at a premium place, even when a poor method limits his ceiling.
Additional limiting his ceiling is his protection: Neto completed 2025 among the many backside 5 shortstops by OAA, and it’s unlikely he’ll discover the required instruction to enhance; final 12 months, the Angels posted -54 OAA, the worst season ever recorded. Main the downward spiral was Yoán Moncada, who posted -13 OAA at third base, tying him for the second-worst fielder in baseball (he performed simply 76 sport within the discipline). Moncada and Neto will once more crew up for the leakiest left facet in baseball in 2026.
The outfield isn’t any higher defensively. Sure, a professional tip of the cap is owed to Jo Adell for figuring it out on the plate final 12 months. He swung tremendously onerous and made nice contact, even when his method turned a close to 40-homer season right into a mere 112 wRC+. It’s a win, if a regrettably small one. Nevertheless it was made even smaller when Adell discovered himself because the crew’s common heart fielder. It didn’t go properly, and he posted -12 OAA because the worst outfielder within the majors. He’s prone to be on the market once more in 2026, except the crew is severe about letting Trout roam.
This dynamic exists throughout the Angels’ depth chart: batters who strike out an excessive amount of, stroll too little, and aren’t significantly geared up for his or her place, whether or not that be Jorge Soler or Josh Lowe or Logan O’Hoppe. The one occasion the place that doesn’t seem like the case is with Nolan Schanuel at first base — the one place the place such brazenness could be justified.
None of that is excellent news for the Angels’ pitchers, who occur to be the relative energy of this roster. The standing of the infield is of specific concern for José Soriano, who led the majors with a 65% groundball price final 12 months. Soriano throws a visually spectacular 98-mph sinker, a tough splitter, and a giant ol’ curve. He provides up a lot of onerous contact and walks, however all these grounders (after they’re caught) make him usually proof against implosions. Soriano is the org’s most promising pitcher since Garrett Richards in 2014.
I don’t know if I’d name Yusei Kikuchi “promising” at practically 35 years outdated, however he was strong once more final 12 months, even when he didn’t fairly reside as much as his 2024 efficiency. (It’s doable he’ll be even higher in 2026 with working air con within the clubhouse.) I’m, nonetheless, prepared to increase the “promising” label to Grayson Rodriguez, whose acquisition may symbolize one of the best course of transfer the Angels have made in recent times. I may even see myself getting enthusiastic about Reid Detmers and Alek Manoah, and probably even Tyler Bremner (the latter two not too long ago sat down with our David Laurila, conversations you possibly can learn right here and right here). Heck, I don’t even hate the premise of their old-is-new bullpen. It’s not outrageous to suppose this workers may end exterior the underside 10.
That’s all to say, the Angels nonetheless have a number of strong gamers who could be related to extra aggressive organizations. They’re nowhere near competition on paper, and I count on they’ll once more be price lower than the sum of their elements. However this doesn’t really feel like true emptiness. This feels just like the Angels.
Mike Trout, Fin.
Trout lately kinda feels just like the Angels, too.
Expectations for Trout have adjusted down over the previous couple of years as accidents have stored him off the sector. We’ve seen him forfeit his standing as one of the best ever, then one of the best in baseball, and now one of the best on his crew. What’s exceptional about this second, nonetheless, is that for the primary time in his profession, Trout’s not even anticipated to be all that good. He had a prime 50 projection as not too long ago as final 12 months. This 12 months? Our Depth Charts projections take into account him the equal of Chase Meidroth. Should you’re questioning why the Angels of the late 2010s felt extra, shall we embrace, believable than the Angels of in the present day, the reply, fairly frankly, is Trout.
That mentioned, we’re removed from the top of Trout’s days as a giant league-caliber participant. His 120 wRC+ in 2025 was a profession low, nevertheless it was nonetheless sufficient to make him one of many 100 finest hitters within the league. Should you’re feeling down about Trout, simply know that it’s nonetheless the identical swing you’ve seen burry your crew a dozen occasions:
His contact high quality was large final 12 months, putting him the highest 10 by xwOBAcon. He hit the ball onerous, and he lead the league in candy spot price. The plot under exhibits that he had a flawless launch angle distribution, making practically all of his contact aggressive indirectly:
The plot additionally exhibits he didn’t cowl pitches… I wish to say “like he used to,” however we don’t actually know; the information is just too new. What we are able to say is Trout ran one of many lowest squared-up charges in baseball in 2025. We are able to additionally say he swung onerous and deep within the zone, and sometimes got here up empty. His strikeout price ballooned to 32%, although it was nearer to 40% for many of the second half. Regardless of the standard of contact, Trout posted -20 runs on pitches within the “coronary heart” area of the plate, whiffing his technique to a bottom-15 mark (and a 40 run distinction from a decade in the past). Pitchers attacked him down the center, and he proved incapable of punishing them.
Nonetheless, on pitches that weren’t down the center, Trout was top-of-the-line. His elite choosiness returned in 2025, and his stroll price was the best it’s been since 2019. I don’t hate this pick-n-power method going ahead, particularly for somebody on the elite finish of the talent set. It’s straightforward to see him serving out the remaining 5 seasons on his contract as a very good and even nice DH, persevering with to compile achievements as one of the best of a technology.
However that doesn’t appear to be sufficient for Trout. He needs to play heart discipline once more, after shifting to DH for his well being. He needs to run quick once more, after shedding a piece off his dash pace in 2026. He believes on this roster. He needs to win. Is that this eyewash, from a notoriously diplomatic veteran? Denial, from a former star refusing to just accept his age? Or professional purpose setting, from an all-time tinkerer?
I’m unsure that it issues. The Angels have been express of their apathy in the direction of the current, and it’s not clear how they plan so as to add one other 10-15 wins both now or sooner or later to make this roster aggressive. They’re merely, maybe deliberately, a stage for Mike Trout. An encore, or a fadeout — it’s right here suddenly.