The Los Angeles Angels were going to inevitably struggled once Shohei Ohtani left, especially with Mike Trout being unable to stay on the field. It hit a new low as the team put together the worst record in franchise history last season at 63-99.

Is there any hope in 2025?

It all begins with Trout being healthy and on the field. Now, don’t get it wrong, a healthy Trout will not make the Angels a World Series contender but it gives the team a chance to compete. Anthony Rendon is once again out for the foreseeable future, which has become a trend since he signed his lucrative deal out West.

The Angels decided to go in a different direction in the rotation. The front office traded Griffin Canning and sent Reid Detmers to Triple-A. This means Los Angeles will rely on Tyler Anderson. The Angels also added Kyle Hendricks and Yusei Kikuchi in free agency. This is an interesting approach for a team that is not exactly in a win-now mode. The bullpen added Kenley Jansen, who was interested in a job where he would remain the closer.

The third base position remains a disaster with Rendon on the shelf but the team added Ioan Moncada this offseason. At first base, Nolan Schanuel will continue to get a chance to develop after appearing in 147 games last year. The outfield is in the same boat with Jo Adell and Taylor Ward around Trout.

The Angels do not bring much to be excited about but they added experience that could potentially lead the team in the rotation. It is all about the health of Trout. If he is out for a considerable amount of time once again, the Angels could beat its previous record for losses in a season.

2025 Los Angeles Angels Season Preview

Major Additions: Kenley Jansen, Jorge Soler, Yoan Moncada, Yusei Kikuchi, Travis D’Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks

Key Losses: Hunter Strickland, Brandon Drury, Kevin Pillar, Griffin Canning

Potential Lineup

1. Taylor Ward, OF
2. Luis Rengifo, 2B
3. Mike Trout, OF
4. Jorge Soler, DH
5. Yoan Moncada, 3B
6. Logan O’Hoppe, C
7. Nolan Schanuel, 1B
8. Jo Adell, OF
9. Kevin Newman, SS

Potential Rotation

• Yusei Kikuchi
• Jose Soriano
• Tyler Anderson
• Kyle Hendricks
• Reid Detmers

Record Prediction

We’re going to assume health here, which is only fair. This means the Angels will be better than last season. Let’s see what Trout can do back in centerfield and with a young lineup. The pitching staff has a chance to be better. It will not feature Cy Young contenders but Kikuchi and Hendricks are pros. It will be another long season for the Angels but at full strength, it should be an improvement from 2024.

Final Record: 72-90