The Los Angeles Angels have not seen much success during the Mike Trout era.

Since Trout entered the league in 2011, the Angels have made the playoffs only one time (2014) and have finished in the bottom half of their division eight times.

Trout has performed exceptionally well on an individual standpoint, being named an All-Star nine times and winning three MVP awards during that same time frame. Sadly for MLB fans, the Angels have not performed up to par during his tenure with the franchise.

Now, with the emergence of 2021 AL MVP Shohei Ohtani the sense of urgency in Anaheim is overwhelming. The Angels can now claim two of the games' biggest stars, and they will have all eyes watching them as they progress throughout the 2022 season.

Will 2022 be the year the Angels can finally put it all together? Read below for our predictions for the Angels this upcoming season.

 

Angels 2022 Bold Predictions

1. Mike Trout wins his 4th MVP Award

Admittedly, this prediction is not as bold as it may seem. Trout is arguably the best player in the game currently, and he possesses the talent to win this award on an annual basis. In fact, according to Baseball Reference, Trout has finished top-5 in AL MVP voting nine out of a possible eleven times while he has been in the majors. (The only two seasons Trout did not finish top-5 were 2011 and 2021, both seasons in which he played less than 50 games.)

However, there is reason to be skeptical about Trout's return to the mountaintop in 2022. Trout struggled with injuries throughout the 2021 season, playing in only 36 games. Trout reported to Spring Training this year fully healthy, but it is possible that Trout's injuries linger into 2022. We have seen other MLB stars, such as Christian Yelich, struggle to return to MVP-level play when returning from injury.

That being said, Trout is just built different. We have not seen a player of Trout's caliber in quite some time, and it would be unwise to bet against him any time soon. If injuries continue to plague him it could alter our perception, but until then expect nothing less than greatness from one of the MLB's brightest stars.

 

Bottom Line: Trout wins 2022 AL MVP award, finishing above 9.0 in WAR

 

2. The Angels' pitching staff is solid

Recently, the obvious issue plaguing the Angels has been their pitching staff. More specifically, the Angels have lacked a true front-line starter (outside of Ohtani) for several consecutive seasons. The Angels have gone all-in on pitching over the past year to try and fix this issue.

The Angels made MLB history last July when they selected only pitchers with each of their 20 draft picks. By going 20-for-20 in selecting pitchers, the Angels made it clear their intentions to improve the weakness of their organization.

The franchise followed up their unique draft strategy with the offseason acquisitions of Noah Syndergaard, Michael Lorenzen, and Raisel Iglesias. Syndergaard will be joining Ohtani as a significant addition to the starting rotation, while Lorenzen and Iglesias will look to bolster the bullpen.

The Angels still have question marks surrounding their pitching staff, and overcoming these questions will be challenging. However, the additions of new blood into the staff will certainly help improve the unit's overall performance. Don't expect everything to go smoothly, but count on improvements from seasons prior.

 

Bottom Line: The Angels staff pitches well enough to help keep the Angels in contention

 

3. Shohei Ohtani regresses slightly

It is never pleasant to predict the regression of athletes, especially ones so talented and likeable as Shohei Ohtani. However, the star SP and DH will have a tough time replicating his success from a season ago.

After winning the AL MVP award in 2021, Ohtani will have a target on his back for the 2022 season. Ohtani has the unique challenge of having to compete as both a pitcher and batter on a regular basis. Now, with the recognition surrounding his name Ohtani will face opponents who want to strike him out or take him yard every at-bat. There will be added pressure and hype for every Ohtani appearance, and with this added pressure could come regression

This is not to say Ohtani will completely fold under the pressure. In fact, Ohtani has the talent to still produce All-Star caliber seasons in spite of this added pressure. However, to expect him to repeat as MVP would be a very tough ask, especially for a player doing double-duty like Ohtani is.

 

Bottom Line: Ohtani is voted an All-Star in 2022, but finishes outside the top 10 in AL MVP voting

 

4. The Angels win the AL West

The entire Angels organization is under immense pressure to produce meaningful results. Many years of Mike Trout's career have been seemingly wasted to this point, and the Angels are in danger of bumbling the duo of Trout and Ohtani if they cannot make the playoffs very soon.

However, the Angels' Front Office has shown they are aware of this urgency. They are seemingly aware of the pressure and urgency facing their organization, an awareness that had been lacking in prior seasons. By adding pieces around their core this offseason, the Angels have upgraded their roster heading into 2022.

This reality, combined with the projected regression of division rivals (specifically the Astros and the Athletics), means the Angels have a real shot at winning the division for the first time in a long while.

It won't be easy, but you can expect the Angels to be in the division title race all the way to the end. The Mariners and Astros will provide strong competition for the title, while the Athletics and Rangers are not to be overlooked. That being said, expect the Angels to clinch the division for the first time since 2014 in the final week of the 2022 season.

 

Bottom Line: Angels win the AL West with a 92-70 record. Their season ends in the ALDS, but progress is made towards true contention in 2023.

 

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