The Angels are in a tough spot after going for broke at the deadline but missing the playoffs, and now they are losing a superstar.
Nine times out of ten a team is in the spotlight because of how well they’re doing, but the Los Angeles Angels are an unfortunate exception. The franchise’s struggles on and off the field followed them into the 2023 season, and the question marks have increased. Will they resign SP/DH Shohei Ohtani? What happens to OF Mike Trout if Ohtani departs? Will owner Arte Moreno revisit selling the team? What is their approach to this offseason, rebuild or keep buying? General Manager Pery Minasian has publicly shot down the persistent Trout trade rumors several times. He also vocalized avoiding a rebuild and that they plan to be aggressive.
The baseball world was on its toes for Ohtani’s decision, and the market is currently at a standstill as a result. What the Angels plan hinges on where Ohtani signs. Now that he has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Angels must pivot their strategy.
The Additions and Month-by-Month Record
The Angels had a solid offseason on paper going into 2023. SP Tyler Anderson, 3B Gio Urshela, and INF Brandon Drury were the notable additions, all coming off good seasons. They also traded for the power-hitting OF Hunter Renfroe. RPs Matt Moore and Carlos Estevez were big gets in free agency. The Angels got off to a 15-14 start at the end of April. May and June were mirror images to the first month, and a 12-11 record in July was similar. After going all in at the deadline, the Angels collapsed in August with an 8-19 record. They posted an identically poor record in September, leaving them with a season record of 73-89.
Another Ohtani MVP Season and Other Positives
If the Angels had any positives in 2023, the team had nothing to do with it. Individual players, including some young guys getting their feet wet, where the highlights. Obviously, the biggest standout was two-way star Shohei Ohtani. He followed up 2022 with a stellar 2023. Ohtani hit 45 home runs, drove in 95, stole 20 bags, hit at a .304 clip, and posted a 1.066 OPS. Before undergoing elbow surgery in September, Ohtani was a staple in the rotation. He wrapped up his season on the mound with a 10-5 record, a 3.14 ERA, and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings across 23 starts. He won the AL MVP award in unanimous fashion.
Brandon Drury excelled in his first season in Anaheim. Despite missing time, he played solid defense at first, second, and third. Drury also hit .262 with 26 home runs and 83 RBIs in 125 games. SP Griffin Canning returned from a lower back stress fracture in 2021 to make 22 starts. He could be a formidable back-end starter for the Halos going forward. In a similar vein, SP Chase Silseth looked like he arrived for good after bouncing between AAA and the Majors. Silseth made eight starts and also entered eight times in relief. He also earned a hard-fought win against the Atlanta Braves in late July.
Experience for the Youngsters
OF Mickey Moniak had several big home runs and hot stretches to flash his great potential. The former first overall pick figures to be a key member of the Angels in the future, but he needs to significantly improve against lefties to be an everyday player. Rookies C Logan O’Hoppe and SS Zach Neto both showcased what’s in store for the Angels despite spending time on the injured list. 2023 first rounder 1B Nolan Schanuel is another product of the Angels aggressively promoting their draft picks. Nolan showed a keen eye and good bat-to-ball skills in 29 games.
RPs Ben Joyce, Jose Soriano, and Sam Bachman all showed big stuff this year as they aim to work for significant roles in 2024. Youngsters getting reps in the Majors will never be bad, as the team must see what they have.
The Ugly
Freak injuries, common injuries, underperformance, and bad baseball were all part of the 2023 season in Anaheim. The potential sale last offseason hamstrung a possible managerial search, and sticking with Phil Nevin was not the wisest decision. The Angels had a worse run under Nevin than they did with Joe Maddon when they endured a 14-game losing streak that led to Maddon’s firing. After going all in at the deadline, the Halos followed that up with an ugly collapse under Nevin in August. September was equally awful, but they were well out of the race by that point.
The Angels were 24th in team defensive rankings. They “boasted” a .983 fielding percentage and committed 95 errors. The pitching staff was also a problem in 2023. In 2022, the pitching was a strength with a 3.77 ERA with a .230 opponent batting average. But regression hit hard as the staff posted a 4.64 ERA. Anderson, SP Reid Detmers, and SP Patrick Sandoval all struggled under pitching coach Matt Wise. 3B Anthony Rendon being injured and bat was part of why the offense suffered. Injuries to Trout, Urshela, and OF Taylor Ward as well as a tough season from Renfroe did not help matters. The Angels hit just .236 with runners in scoring position, and they finished in the top five for strikeouts.
2024 Outlook
Phil Nevin and most of his coaching staff were all let go following the season. The Angels concluded their search and tabbed the well-respected Ron Washington to be the next skipper. The revamped staff will feature Eric Young, Sr. at third base, Bo Porter at first, Barry Enfield in charge of pitching, Johnny Washington running hitting, Tim Laker as Offensive Coordinator, Ryan Goins leading the infield, and Jerry Narron guiding the catchers. Ray Montgomery survived all the turnover and will serve as Bench Coach.
The Ohtani decision no longer remains in the balance, but the Angels do. It is no secret that change is needed at the top, starting with Arte Moreno, and throughout the organization. Success in 2024 rests with development on the farm and improvement in Anaheim.
