(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)   Mike Trout has been the face of the Los Angeles Angels since 2012, when he put together an MVP-caliber season without actually winning the award. He eventually won not one or two, but three AL MVP awards and became universally regarded as one of the best players of his generation. The problem is that the Angels have also been one of the most dysfunctional franchises in baseball for years, even decades if you will. They have failed to build around Trout (and Shohei Ohtani) when they had the chance, and haven’t made the postseason since 2014. LA i ..read more

(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)   By this point, it’s widely recognized as a universal truth: Arte Moreno is one of the most disliked owners in the game. The man in charge of leading the Los Angeles Angels has been heavily criticized in recent seasons for some of his attitudes and decisions in front of the team. His most obvious shortcoming has been failing to put together a strong, competitive team for years. He managed to land a generational talent in Shohei Ohtani six years ago, and also employs Mike Trout and other top players. Still, the Angels couldn’t even make the postse ..read more

(Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)   Not much was expected from the Los Angeles Angels after losing Shohei Ohtani in free agency. They were a mediocre team with the best player in the league, so their prospects without him are not much different. The facts are the facts, though, and while expecting the Angels to contend might be unrealistic, there is an undeniable reality: they are playing well at the moment, and they are leading the always tough AL West. They dominated the Miami Marlins once again on Wednesday and are now 4-2 on the young season. MLB insider Bob Nightengale notes that t ..read more

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels are forced to pick up the pieces in 2024 after losing iconic two-way star Shohei Ohtani to the rival Dodgers, but there is still plenty to look forward to for this upcoming season. Ohtani opened the last two seasons for the Angels and with him out of the picture, it was unclear who would be the Opening Day starter for them in 2024, until now. Team reporter Erica Weston shared that lefty Patrick Sandoval will be the Angels’ Opening Day starter for 2024. Angels announce Patrick Sandoval is their Opening Day starter — Erica W ..read more

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels are, whether they like it or not, a team in a transition period. They just lost the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, to free agency. If they didn’t make the playoffs once in six years with Ohtani on board, it’s really hard to think they will do it without him. Not everything is lost for LA, though. They have a few young and promising players, and they still have Mike Trout. Injuries have affected the three-time MVP, but even in his worst version in recent memory, he hit .263/.367/.490 with a .858 OPS in 82 games last y ..read more

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels had an offseason to forget. For a team that usually tries to spend money on free agents, it has not gone well for them. The one player they signed in the past decade that has worked out is Shohei Ohtani. But, they watched Ohtani sign a contract with their crosstown rival this offseason. Losing Ohtani is a significant setback for the Angels. The chances of them competing for a playoff spot in 2024 are slim to none. But, the only chance they do have is if their best players stay healthy and perform. One player that must have a ..read more

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels have started a new chapter. They had Shohei Ohtani from 2018 to 2023, and he was marvelous for them: he won two AL MVP awards and many other accolades. But the Angels couldn’t guarantee postseason baseball for him – in fact, they never made it to October during his tenure with the team – and he ended up signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It didn’t matter that he teamed up with Mike Trout, a three-time MVP and one of the best players of his generation: the Angels simply couldn’t get the job done. Now, the two men will play in th ..read more

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels have to start, against their will, the post-Shohei Ohtani era. They tried their best to bring him back, but the fact remains that they failed him by not making the playoffs even once in the six years he was with them. Now, they still have Mike Trout to lead the charge, but their roster is not as good as that of the Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers, or even the Seattle Mariners. Yet they do have some specific players that have people optimistic about their season. One of them is shortstop Zach Neto. Neto was, after just 41 ga ..read more

(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)   Shohei Ohtani might, one day, enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey. It seems like the most likely outcome. However, what he did for the Los Angeles Angels can’t and won’t be forgotten. He stayed with them for six seasons even though they rarely built competitive rosters around him and Mike Trout. In those six years, he managed to win two AL MVP awards, in 2021 and 2023. He popularized the No. 17 not only in Los Angeles, but also in Japan and the rest of the world. Now, he is a member of the Dodgers and will keep his number ..read more

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)   The vast majority of MLB players will tell you that baseball is their life, or at least a huge part of it. It’s normal: they have dedicated a lot of time and resources to crafting their game. The game, however, is not atop the priority list for everyone. It’s also natural: people are not the same. Still, reading quotes like the ones Anthony Rendon recently said comes with a bit of a shock for true fans. He made it clear that baseball is not “a top priority” for him, per Angels insider Sam Blum. “Anthony Rendon on playing pro baseball: ‘It’s never been ..read more