Although individual players have had good moments this year, the Angels have struggled all year. Can Perry Minasian turn the ship around?
The Los Angeles Angels are finishing off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. What will it take to improve their bleak circumstances? Have this season’s moves helped move the needle?
Deadline Swaps
Rumors swirled involving numerous players at the trade deadline. The popular names floating around were UT Luis Rengifo, OF Taylor Ward, SP Tyler Anderson, and CP Carlos Estevez. The Angels only traded away Estevez from that bunch. The Philadelphia Phillies acquired his services at the expense of pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri. Both young hurlers factored into the Angels Top 30 Prospects list at MLB Pipeline. Klassen now comes in at No. 3 while Aldegheri is listed at No. 8.
The Angels then agreed to a trade with the Boston Red Sox which sent RP Luis Garcia east in exchange for four prospects. 1B/DH Niko Kavadas and OF Matthew Lugo were the lone prospects listed in the Top 30. Kavadas comes in at No. 29, while Lugo is No. 12. P Yeferson Vargas and P Ryan Zeferjahn also came over in the trade.
I expected the Angels to be more involved on the trade front as sellers. I know they weren’t going to trade away guys just to trade them away, but I think they missed an opportunity to improve their future. It wasn’t as big a whiff as the tragic deadline they had in 2023, but it was another miss. They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt from the fanbase after 10 straight years of zero playoff games. This is also the franchise that let a global superstar walk for nothing in return.
It is worth noting that Aldegheri, Kavadas, and Zeferjahn have all made their debuts for the Halos since being traded. Aldegheri became the 1st Italian born pitcher to win a game since 1949.
Young Halos in Review
SS Zach Neto has blasted past any expectations in his first full season in the Bigs. The 2022 first rounder is already a historic shortstop for the Halos. Neto clinched a 20-20 season and he now holds the franchise record for home runs by a shortstop after hitting his 21st on September 10. Neto is looking like a legitimate mainstay, and if the Angels ever return to relevancy, he will be a key piece in the turn around.
Although he had been exceptional for a good chunk of the 2024 season, C Logan O’Hoppe has endured a rough patch this summer that is hard to ignore. The dog days of August hit the Halo backstop hard, as he hit for a .099 batting average and .339 OPS that month. A promising season went sour due to significant struggles in August that have leaked into September. “Hop” is currently valued at 2.5 WAR and 98 wRC+ for 2024. It is important for Logan to have a solid finish to his season.
1B Nolan Schanuel had me concerned at the very beginning of the season due to his early struggles. Schanuel was rapidly promoted to the Majors after LA drafted him in the first round of 2023. He made the Opening Day roster out of Spring Training and consistently improved his major hitting categories through the month of July. Much like O’Hoppe, Schanuel needs a strong finish. I expect Nolan’s power numbers and hard-hit percentage to go up in 2025.
SP Jose Soriano and RP Ben Joyce were pleasant surprises this year in Anaheim. Both hurlers displayed massive stuff while having solid seasons. Soriano transitioned from a reliever to starter this year. He set a career high with 113 innings pitched, making 20 starts and picking up 6 wins. Soriano’s season ended prematurely due to arm fatigue, wrapping up his first season as a starter with a 3.42 ERA. Joyce rejoined the Angels for good in June. He appeared in 31 games and notched four saves. His season ended due to right shoulder inflammation. The hard throwing reliever is poised to be a feared bullpen arm in Anaheim for years to come.
Are They Sticking Around?
Time continues to tick for OFs Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak to figure things out in the Bigs. Both have struggled thus far. Adell had hot stretches in April and July, whereas Moniak started off cold and has gradually been better. Both also struggle to hit pitchers with like handedness. Adell’s season ended prematurely in September due to a strained oblique. OF Mike Trout isn’t getting any younger and the Angels are starving for significant production from their outfielders, an area where they need to add for 2025.
I expect the Angels to cut bait with one of these players if an upgrade is made. It is not ideal to keep both, but if they do stick around, they should be used in a strict platoon next season. Their power numbers do not overcompensate for their limited contact ability, so something needs to give.
SP Reid Detmers’ short career thus far has been a rollercoaster. The Louisville product threw a no-hitter in 2022, but his inconsistencies have caused a couple demotions to the minor leagues. The team recently called up Detmers in the beginning of September. Age and mid-rotation potential are on his side. Detmers will definitely be a part of the 2025 rotation.
The argument for SP Griffin Canning to remain an Angel is a difficult one to win. The SoCal native has been one of the worst starters in the league this year. He holds a 6-13 record accompanied by an ugly 5.24 ERA. Canning leads the AL in earned runs given up. He also sits in the top 5 in hits and home runs allowed. He is a serious candidate to be non-tendered this winter.
Last Place and the Draft
The Angels currently sit in the basement of the AL West with 63 wins and 97 losses. They are 6 games behind the 4th place Oakland Athletics. With one day left, the Angels will finish in last place. They are only better than the historically bad Chicago White Sox in the AL. The two teams that are worse than the Halos in the NL are the rebuilding Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies. Having the #1 overall pick in the 2025 draft seems like a pipe dream for anyone involved with the Angels. SS Ethan Holliday donning Angel red in the future would be something, as LA holds the third best odds in the lottery.
Offseason Plans
The Angels need a ton of help if they want to straighten the ship by 2025. Will it happen? Probably not. You just never know with owner Arte Moreno. In classic Arte fashion, he might drop a bag on OF Juan Soto and go bargain bin shopping for pitching help. Rotation help and bats for the outfield are holes to fill. Realistic targets in those departments are OFs Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernandez.
Plenty of options exist on the starting pitching front as SPs Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, and Jack Flaherty are all hitting the market. I don’t expect the Angels to shop at the premium rack for pitchers this offseason. It’s something owner Arte Moreno has never done since he bought the ball club. I believe they add from the middle tier, with candidates such as Sean Manaea, old friend Michael Lorenzen, and Yusei Kikuchi.
It is important for things to start changing in Anaheim by 2025. You don’t want your young players to endure another abysmal season like 2024. A consistent losing environment will stunt their growth and dash their hopes to return to relevancy.
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