No, it probably won’t be the worst season in Los Angeles Angels franchise history. Yet you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a more disastrous 12-month period than the one about to wrap up.
On July 26, 2023, the Angels were fired up, trading a handful of prospects to acquire Chicago White Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. A day later, Shohei Ohtani pitched his greatest game as a professional, one-hitting the Detroit Tigers in a doubleheader sweep.
And then? Well, the bottom fell out.
Just three games out of a wild card spot and flush with reinforcements, the Angels finished that season 18-40. Ohtani blew out his arm in August and left as a free agent in December. The veterans were flipped to save luxury tax penalties as quickly as they were brought in.
It’s gone no better this season, with a 41-57 mark and .418 winning percentage, which would be third-worst in franchise history, and they kicked off the second half by dropping a pair of games to the woebegone Oakland Athletics and cementing their status in the bottom five of USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
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Some good news: Mike Trout should return this week after missing nearly three months with a meniscus tear. Perhaps that will kickstart 12 months of better vibes. It’s not a very tough act to follow.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Philadelphia Phillies (-)
J.T. Realmuto returns and the gang’s all here.
2. Baltimore Orioles (+1)
They’re 13-7 in Corbin Burnes’ starts – and the AL is 1-0.
3. Cleveland Guardians (-1)
Very quietly have lost seven of 10.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)
If your current closer (Evan Phillips) is on the struggle bus, might as well win a game off your old closer (Kenley Jansen).
5. New York Yankees (-1)
Aaron Boone says they keep getting beat on third and long, otherwise known as days Gerrit Cole doesn’t pitch.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)
They can sweeten the trade market by knocking the Cubs further from contention this week.
7. Atlanta Braves (-1)
Shelving Max Fried and Ozzie Albies probably puts division hopes out of reach.
8. Boston Red Sox (-)
All-Star MVP Jarren Duran was drafted three GM regimes ago.
9. Minnesota Twins (-)
A Brewers sweep in the Upper Midwest jamboree means they’re once again tied with the…
10. Kansas City Royals (-)
With first career complete game, Seth Lugo’s starter transformation is, well, complete.
11. Houston Astros (+1)
Won’t see Mariners again until Sept. 23. Might live rent-free in their heads until then.
12. St. Louis Cardinals (+1)
Struggling Paul Goldschmidt sinks to No. 7 in lineup, lowest he’s hit as a Cardinal.
13. Seattle Mariners (-2)
Six runs scored Sunday breaks four-game streak of zero, one, or two pushed across.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)
Jordan Montgomery should be back this week, with Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly not far behind.
15. San Diego Padres (+1)
Dylan Cease and Michael King come out of break unhittable.
16. New York Mets (-2)
Kodai Senga is back this week.
17. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)
Taj Bradley emerging as frontline guy.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)
Win a series vs. Phillies on a Skenes-less weekend. This bears watching.
19. Texas Rangers (-2)
Reality sets in: They’re 11th among 15 AL teams.
20. San Francisco Giants (-)
Hayden Birdsong’s 12 strikeouts vs. Colorado most by a Giants rookie since Timmy Lincecum in 2007.
21. Washington Nationals (+2)
James Wood’s three-run homer caps stirring sweep of Cincy.
22. Detroit Tigers (+2)
Trade Tarik Skubal? Silly talk.
23. Cincinnati Reds (-2)
Nine-game trip begins grimly – and has to turn around at Atlanta and Tampa Bay or it’s break up the band.
24. Chicago Cubs (-2)
Back of rotation is low-key killing them; just 4-14 in Kyle Hendricks’ starts.
25. Toronto Blue Jays (-)
Will it be one stick of dynamite or a skyscraper implosion come deadline day?
26. Los Angeles Angels (-)
Win their final game ever at Oakland Coliseum.
27. Oakland Athletics (-)
Zack Gelof’s average drops to .199.
28. Colorado Rockies (-)
Todd Helton could relate to this squad, as the Hall of Famer finished fourth or fifth in 12 of his 17 seasons.
29. Miami Marlins (-)
Jazz Chisholm says Miami is ‘home for me.’ We’ll see for how much longer.
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
Have been swept 14 times.
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