This story was excerpted from Rhett Bolinger’s Angels Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
ANAHEIM — It was one other disappointing season for the Angels, who haven’t made the postseason since 2014 and haven’t posted a profitable document since 2015, which is the longest streak within the Majors.
However not like current years, pitching wasn’t the wrongdoer, because the Halos posted a 3.77 ERA that was tied for the ninth-best mark within the Majors. As a substitute, it was the offense that struggled, as their 623 runs scored was the sixth-lowest whole within the large leagues.
Basic supervisor Perry Minasian is aware of it’s an necessary offseason to get this membership again on observe, and he’s bringing again Phil Nevin as supervisor to deliver some stability to the group.
“In case you advised any of us that watched final 12 months that we’d be within the high 10 in pitching, you’d assume we’d be a minimum of within the combine,” Minasian mentioned. “However that’s baseball. It’s important to be good at all the things. There’s no secret formulation. You will have to have the ability to compete every day in each space — the bullpen, the rotation, lineup, bench depth. All these issues. And we didn’t do this. That falls immediately on me. We want extra gamers. And never in particular areas. And that’s one thing I realized from final 12 months.”
Defining second
The Angels obtained off to an ideal begin and have been 27-17, solely to lose 14 video games in a row beginning on Might 25 in opposition to the Rangers. Maddon was fired after they misplaced 12 consecutive video games, and the Halos by no means recovered from that stretch. They performed the Blue Jays, Yankees, Phillies, Crimson Sox, Mets and Dodgers throughout their downfall, going 2-18 from Might 25 to June 15.
Finest improvement
The Angels noticed enhancements from younger left-handers Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and José Suarez throughout the season, and they need to have the ability to depend on them once more subsequent 12 months. Sandoval posted a 2.91 ERA in 27 begins, Detmers had a 3.77 ERA in 25 begins and Suarez had a 3.96 ERA in 22 outings (20 begins). It’s a promising signal for the Angels, who’ve struggled to develop their very own beginning pitchers.
Space for enchancment
The Angels want to enhance on offense, however in addition they may use some assist in the bullpen, particularly after buying and selling nearer Raisel Iglesias to the Braves on the Commerce Deadline. The transfer freed up wage, however now Los Angeles doesn’t have an skilled nearer on its roster. Minasian mentioned enhancing the bullpen is a precedence, however the workforce hasn’t determined whether or not it wants to herald a veteran nearer or go along with an inner choice.
On the rise
Infielder Luis Rengifo and outfielder Taylor Ward each had breakout seasons and needs to be firmly within the combine subsequent 12 months. Rengifo can play wherever on the infield, and the Angels haven’t determined whether or not he’ll begin at quick or second subsequent 12 months, as the center infield is an space Los Angeles additionally would possibly look to improve this offseason. Ward began off red-hot and completed robust, basically locking up a spot in proper area subsequent 12 months.
Crew MVP
That is a straightforward one, because it’s once more Ohtani. He’s additionally within the combine for the AL MVP Award together with Yankees slugger Aaron Choose, who is taken into account the favourite. Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP, hit .273/.356/.519 with 34 homers, 11 stolen bases and 95 RBIs in 157 video games on the plate and went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings on the mound.
