The Los Angeles Angels playoff hopes are surprisingly still alive. The club enters the second half of the season at 45-46, seven games out of first in the AL West. They’re also five games behind the final Wild Card spot too. If the Angels want to get Shohei Ohtani to the playoffs for the first time, they have a long way to go. They have the makings of a playoff team if they can play above.500 the rest of the way.
Why the Angels Are a Playoff Team
The Results Before the Injuries
Let’s step back long before the injuries depleted some of the roster. Specifically on June 21, when the Angels had a winning record of 41-34. It was good enough to possess the third and final Wild Card spot. Since that point, they’ve gone 3-11. That’s not good for a team whose star player craves October baseball badly.
However, much of that concerns Shohei Ohtani, who played out of his mind for June. Ohtani hit 14 home runs and hit a .427 batting average. Whatever the reason, this team can keep up with the playoff favorites when healthy. Simply put, there aren’t too many teams in baseball that can withstand the majority of their lineup due to injuries. The only thing Los Angeles can do while waiting to get back to full health is weather the storm. Try not to put yourself into a more giant hole than you already are. Even with the playoff odds falling, there is still a lot of baseball left.
Players Returning
Fortunately, the Angels’ injury woes might end sooner than later. It starts with Zach Neto, who was hitting .259/.338/.431 up until he got hurt. At the same time, Brandon Drury could be back shortly after the break. Drury was on fire during June, having 11 multi-hit games while hitting .337 with five home runs and 18 in that time frame. Both would be welcomed back into the lineup with open arms. Plus, Anthony Rendon has had a few days to rest his shin after taking a foul ball on the 4th of July. Rendon has been mediocre at the dish, slashing .236/.361/.318. Fully healthy in a lineup with adequate protection, there is no reason not to think Rendon will figure it out as long as he stays healthy.
As August Comes Around
Mike Trout and Logan O’Hoppe could be back within a month. Trout has been having a bit of a down year in terms of what his standards are. With a line of .263/.412/.582 even in a mid-year, Trout is still doing well by league metrics. O’Hoppe had only played in 16 games before hurting his shoulder. He was hitting .283/.339/.547 then and was looking to make a case for the AL Rookie of the Year. With all of this on the horizon, things could slowly start to turn around for the Angels.
Long Odds to Make It
After the All-Star break, the Angels first two series are against the Houston Astros and New York Yankees. They already had to face a gauntlet that was the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s not a make-or-break stretch since there are not many games left. From then on, this stretch should inspire the Angel’s decision to sell or buy at the trade deadline. They could come into the postseason with a few tweaks or go the other route and have a fire sale.
It should be noted that the Angels still have two series remaining against a terrible Oakland Athletics team, including the season finale in Angel Stadium. This team can beat any other team on any given night. Ultimately, the ball is in the Angel’s court as they control their destiny from here on out. There’s lots of baseball to be played.
Photo Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Shohei Ohtani, Zach Neto, Brandon Drury, Anthony Rendon, Mike Trout, Logan O’Hoppe
