The Los Angeles Angels' playoff drought continues as they stumbled again, finishing 72-90 and last in the AL West. Once again, they will watch the MLB playoffs from home, wondering what went wrong. Many players factored into the Angels' struggles. The Angels fired their manager, causing yet another change in the system. Even with everything that went wrong, one player was particularly bad enough to derail any hope of the team contending for anything.
It was another season of disappointment and heartache. Notably, the injuries accumulated as they often do. The Halos placed Zach Neto on injured reserve before the season concluded, and it was just another example of everything that went wrong. As they look to evaluate what went wrong, there are problems to fix.
Fixing the problem is not a simple solution. For years, the Halos have struggled to acquire a top-notch starting pitcher or develop one. Of course, they also lost Shohei Ohtani to free agency, leaving them desolate once again.
How did the offense do?
The Halos averaged 4.15 runs per game, ranking 25th in the majors. Yet, the Halos ranked fifth in home runs, but they were only third in runners left on base per game. But when looking at context, the Angels barely had any runners on base to begin with. Ultimately, they ranked 28th in on-base percentage. This entire lineup is predicated on mashing the baseball. It is an all-or-nothing lineup.
Taylor Ward hit .228 with 36 home runs, 103 RBIs, and 86 runs with a .475 slugging percentage. Meanwhile, Jo Adell had his best season from a power standpoint, batting .236 with 37 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 63 runs with a .485 slugging percentage. Neto hit .257 with 26 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 82 runs while stealing 26 bases. Likewise, Luis Rengifo hit .238 with nine home runs, 43 RBIs, and 55 runs. Nolan Schanuel hit .264 with 12 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 64 runs. Finally, Mike Trout was inconsistent, hitting .232 with 26 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 73 runs.
How the pitching staff fared
Once again, the pitching staff struggled mightily. The rotation ranked third-worst in the majors with a 4.91 ERA, while the bullpen was also third-worst in the league with a 4.86 ERA. Pitching has been a major problem for years, and it continued in 2025.
Yusei Kikuchi was their ace and did not perform as well as expected, going 7-11 with a 3.99 ERA. Meanwhile, Jose Soriano went 10-11 with a 4.26 ERA. Kyle Hendricks went 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA. Also, Tyler Anderson went 2-8 with a 4.56 ERA. The Halos lacked a fifth starter, as they often rotated pitchers in and out.
The bullpen was not much better. Unfortunately, Reid Detmers could not dominate even in a move to the bullpen, going 5-3 with a 3.96 ERA with three saves. Kenley Jensen was the best pitcher out of the pen, going 5-4 with a 2.59 ERA and 29 saves. Additionally, Brock Burke put up respectable numbers, going 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA and 15 holds. Other relievers like Jose Fermin and Connor Brogdon struggled to be consistent out of the bullpen. It would be an understatement to say that the bullpen was bad. However, no one had high expectations for the bullpen.
Why Mike Trout was the biggest disappointment
When Trout's career began, everyone raved about him. Even recently, there were still very high opinions about him. While Trout blasted two home runs to end the season, it was a false flag on how bad his season was. The only benefit from Trout this season was his ability to stay healthy for a longer stretch of time.
Trout had the most plate appearances in three seasons. Unfortunately, having many plate appearances has not been the case in recent seasons, as injuries have plagued his career. But his injuries may have affected his ability to perform. Trout used to be a high batting average hitter. However, recently, his average has plummeted, and he just has not been the same as the former MVP he used to be.
Baseball Savant saw his batting run value fall to a below-average slate. His speed and his fielding have also deteriorated over the years. When looking at the best players and expectations, Trout fails to meet the mark. While other veterans like Manny Machado are still helping their team win, Trout has done the opposite. Trout hit just .249 with runners on base this season, being unable to drive teammates in and often failing when called upon. Yes, the pitching is horrible, but the Halos could have made up for it with an explosive offense led by Trout. Unfortunately, it just has not worked out that way.
If the Angels add some good pitchers, they might stabilize a pitching staff that has been in dire need of a fix for years. But the Halos also need their longtime star to hit like he used to. Although the injuries have slowed Trout down, he should make adjustments and attempt to be the hitter the Halos believe he can be.
