Baseball is currently in the middle of its All-Star break. For the 46-45 Los Angeles Angels, who limped to the break with a 1-9 record in their last 10. The Angels needed this. This team had and still has a lot of promise going forward. With a better bout of luck and some improvements, the Angels should have a better second half.
Good, Bad, Ugly: The Angels First Half
The Bad
For whatever reason, the Angels once again had issues with starting pitching. Tyler Anderson, the big free agent signing (3 years/39 million), has returned to earth in every pitching category. Anderson is currently 4-2, with an ERA of 5.25 and a WHIP of 1.52. Last year with the Dodgers, Anderson was 15-2 with an ERA of 2.57 and WHIP of 1.00. This contract went sour fast. Fortunately, there are still 2 ½ years left to right the ship.
Another pitcher that took a step back was Patrick Sandoval. Like Anderson, Sandoval has seen every stat go in the wrong direction. This year he is 4-7, with an ERA of 4.41 and a WHIP of 1.47. Last year Sandoval was 6-9 with an ERA of 2.91 and a WHIP of 1.34. In the World Baseball Classic, Sandoval was incredible. What changed? He could have had to ramp it up earlier or the pitch clock. Whatever the issue is, he needs to get it right in the second half of the season.
Changing sides to the offense for the last section of the bad. Anthony Rendon’s decline has sped up this year. He has played 45 games this year with a line of .236/.361/.318. He is in year four of his seven-year, $245 million deal. This deal will end as one of the worst in Angels history. His best overall stats came in the short COVID year of 2020. If the Angels want to get back to the postseason, Rendon has to get healthy and get it going at the plate.
The Good
Carlos Estévez being as dominate as he is comes as a welcomed surprise. He is 21/21 in save opportunities, with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.29. Estévez has brought stability to the backend of the bullpen. It still has some issues, but the 9th inning is locked down. He made his first All-Star game this season. Well deserved by the Angels closers. In the first half that has had a lot not to like, Estévez has been a bright spot.
Shohei Ohtani is something of folklore. Somehow every year, he manages to surpass the video game numbers he put up the year prior. Ohtani might break the American League record for home runs of 62 that was set last year. It is incredible when it comes to Ohtani, his line of .302/.387/.663 His .633 slugging leads the league. Suppose this is his last year in an Angels uniform. He is going out with a bang.
Shohei Ohtani on hearing the chants from #Mariners fans to come to Seattle (through interpreter):
“Every time I come here, the fans are passionate. I’ve actually spent a couple off-seasons in Seattle, I like the city, it’s good.” pic.twitter.com/W52VByI0W1
— Jessamyn McIntyre (@JessamynMcIntyr) July 12, 2023
It was a turning point for the Angels season when Zach Neto was called up. He fills a hole at shortstop. He was incredible on the defensive side of the ball. For a brief period of time, the Angels had a stable infield and lineup. Unfortunately, Neto was lost to an oblique injury in early June. Before that injury, he was in the middle of the Rookie of the Year conversation; his line of .259/.338/.769 was modest, but he was beginning to figure it out as the year went on. He will be a welcomed return to the team shortly after the break.
The Ugly
There wasn’t a much worse stretch than the Angels last two weeks before the All-Star break. During a series with the Padres, the injuries reached its apex with Mike Trout fracturing his hamate bone in his left hand. Brandon Drury also had a shoulder injury, but he should return shortly after a minimum of 10 days.
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The Angels are 6-14 in their last 20 games. This drought has seen them fall into 4th place in the American League and seven-games back. They are now five-games back in the Wild Card as well. Many national reporters are trying to get the Angels to sell at the deadline. This could send Ohtani to a winning team in a race. When writing this, there is no indication that the Angels will be selling at the August 1st trade deadline.
There is a lot that has gone wrong for this team. Injuries, poor play, and bad managerial decisions. Many have expressed this as things have continued. Fortunately for the Angels, at least, they have time to improve. 5 games back isn’t the end of the world. Plenty of teams have made changes at the deadline and have made a deep run into the playoffs. Hopefully, the Angels can join that list.
Photo Credit- Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Anthony Rendon, Carlos Estevez, Shohei Ohtani, Zach Neto, Mike Trout, Brandon Drury
