The Angels were projected to be a wild-card playoff contender this past season if their power hitters could stay healthy. Unfortunately, third baseman Mike Rendon and center fielder Mike Trout missed a combined 158 games as Los Angeles stumbled to a third-place finish in the AL West with a 73-89 card.
Trout hit .283 with 40 homers and 80 RBIs in 119 games, while Shohei Ohtani batted .273 with 34 dingers and drove in 95 runs. Ohtani also went 15-9 on the hill with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings.
The Angels have a potent batting lineup when healthy and are just a couple of starting pitchers away from being serious playoff contenders.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (formerly the California Angels and Anaheim Angels) were founded in 1961, as part of the expansion of the American League. The team is based in Anaheim, California, and has played its home games at Angel Stadium since 1966.
The Angels have made nine appearances in the MLB playoffs and won their first World Series championship in 2002. They've also won one AL pennant and nine Division titles. Some iconic moments in the history of the Los Angeles Angels include winning the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, four-time All-Star Tim Salmon becoming the first player to hit 300 career home runs with the Angels in 2006, as well as Nolan Ryan pitching his fifth no-hitter for the team in 1975 (the most by any pitcher with a single team).
The Angels play their home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The stadium is considered one of the most iconic stadiums in baseball and has been home to some of the greatest moments in Angels' history. It is known for its unique rock formation and waterfall in center field that was built when Edison International Field (the original name of the stadium) opened in 1966.
The biggest rivals of the Los Angeles Angels are their divisional foes the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners, and local interleague rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have had mixed success against these teams and the long-term record has been relatively even.
Some star players in the history of the Los Angeles Angels include Hall-of-Famers Nolan Ryan and Rod Carew, two-time MVP Mike Trout, four-time All-Star Albert Pujols, three-time Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and six-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter.
