2024 Division Outlook: AL West
By Sam Holstine
Los Angeles Angels
Key Additions
- OF Aaron Hicks
- LHP Matt Moore
- RHP Robert Stephenson
Key Loses
- RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani
- INF David Fletcher
- C Max Stassi
To be blunt, the Angels are not going to be very good this season. Looking at their depth chart, I would not be surprised if they had the most drastic decrease in wins from last season to this year, leaving first year Angels manager Ron Washington with a tall task. They obviously lost the best player in the game in Shohei Ohtani, while getting nothing in return. The pitching and injuries that always plague them could very well haunt them again. Their best two hitters, in Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, played in a combined 125 games last season. As painful as it is to watch, the gradual decline of Mike Trout is upon us, as injuries catch up to him and production slightly declines each year. Rendon has seemingly found himself in some sort of controversy every year since his departure from D.C., with him most recently citing that baseball is "not a top priority."
Anthony Rendon on if baseball is a top priority for him:
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 19, 2024
"It’s never been a top priority for me. This is a job. I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job. So if those things come before it, I’m leaving."
🎥: @BallySportWest pic.twitter.com/T7VMYyi9F1
Taylor Ward and Brandon Drury make strong offensive contributions when on the field, stabilizing the Los Angeles lineup, but they can't do everything on their own. Mickey Moniak has seemingly found himself a home in Anaheim, with quick prospect risers Nolan Schanuel and Zach Neto hoping to join him.
On the pitching side of things, there is a lot to be desired on the Los Angeles staff. The Angels' projected 'ace' heading into 2024 is Reid Detmers, who has shown strong flashes and is only 24 years of age. Patrick Sandoval fits under the same umbrella as Detmers, as Sandoval is a 27 year southpaw having shown his own potential as a major league arm. Griffing Canning, Tyler Anderson, and Chase Silseth wrap up their rotation, but none of those names are flashy arms in the major league scene. As mentioned earlier, I don't see the Angels being all too competitive this year. If Trout and Rendon miraculously remain healthy the entire year, then maybe their lineup can carry them into being a fringe playoff team, but history speaks for itself.