Despite possessing the best player in the MLB in Mike Trout, the Los Angeles Angels have floundered to consecutive 80-82 finishes. The franchise has been somewhat hamstrung in adding talent due to lucrative contracts that were handed out to Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. Additionally, Bleacher Report ranked the Angels as having the 22nd-best farm system in the bigs heading into the 2019 season.

Japanese rookie Shohei Ohtani was a sensation both on the mound and at the plate last season, but Tommy John surgery will relegate him to DH duties this year.

The club let Garrett Richards walk in free agency after Richards underwent Tommy John surgery in July of last year, and made a slew of subtle additions by signing Cody Allen, Jonathan Lucroy and Justin Bour, amongst others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MglgGLLJ9I

How do they stack up n the AL West?

Lineup

Trout needs no introduction, having established himself as the preeminent player of this generation and a future Hall-of-Famer.

But he is not the only star-caliber player in the lineup. Andrelton Simmons has blossomed into one of the best shortstops in the game.

Always known for his defensive prowess, Simmons posted career-highs in batting average (.292), wRC+ (109) and fWAR (5.5) last season. And his 2019 base salary of $13 million makes him one of the best bargains in baseball.

With Ohtani likely out at least until mid-May and Albert Pujols probably moving into the DH spot, Bour is likely to play first base. After clubbing 25 homers in just 108 games in 2017, Bour hit just 20 last season while his average fell from .289 to .227 and his OPS+ dropped by 33 points. The Angels desperately need some pop in the middle of the order, and will count on Bour to bounce back.

Cole Calhoun has retained many of his production numbers, but his average and slugging have fallen steadily over the years, and he doesn't generate a ton of walks.

Zack Cozart followed up an All-Star 2017 campaign with an injury-riddled 2018 that may be the worst season of his career. At 33 years old, he may be past his prime.

Speaking of veterans, Justin Upton continues to be a major run-producer and a consistent threat to top 30 home runs. The same probably cannot be said for Albert Pujols, who will still log at least 400 plate appearances this season.

Lucroy makes for yet another veteran presence in the clubhouse, although he is unlikely to do more offensively than Martin Maldonado last season or even Rene Rivera.

David Fletcher rounds out the lineup as a guy that can hit for average and provide plus defense at second base.

Opening Day lineup card:

  1. Calhoun (RF)
  2. Trout (CF)
  3. Upton (LF)
  4. Bour (1B)
  5. Pujols (DH)
  6. Simmons (SS)
  7. Cozart (3B)
  8. Lucroy (C)
  9. Fletcher (2B)

Rotation

Although starting pitching is undoubtedly the weakest aspect of this Angels team, 22-year-old Jaime Barria posted a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. Although a 4.58 FIP and meager 6.8 K/9 suggest that the youngster will regress, it is a positive step at a position of need for the Angels.

Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs are likely to be the top two in the starting rotation, though neither player has topped 200 innings in a season.

The Angels brought in veterans Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill to round out the rotation, although it is likely that Felix Pena and Nick Tropeano will get spot-start and long relief opportunities.

The starters:

  1. Skaggs
  2. Heaney
  3. Harvey
  4. Cahill
  5. Barria

The bullpen will see a lot of fresh blood. Allen will slide in as the closer and hope that a change of scenery will make 2018 seem like an aberration.

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The Angels traded Jose Alvarez and let Blake Parker walk in free agency, losing two of their most effective relievers from 2018.

Instead, they will rely on Cam Bedrosian, Hansel Robles and Justin Anderson in middle relief while Keynan Middleton is likely to move into the setup role.

The bullpen

  1. Allen (CL)
  2. Middleton (SU)
  3. Robles (MR)
  4. Bedrosian (MR)
  5. Anderson (MR)
  6. Ramirez (MR)

The breakdown

The Angels still have an estimated $30 million in payroll, so it is not unlikely that they may still try to bid on Dallas Keuchel and other available bullpen arms in free agency.

That said, Los Angeles seems content plugging holes with older veterans that are mostly over the hill, possibly saving up as much spending money to try to re-sign Trout when his contract expires after the 2020 season.

The Halos could benefit from a rather weak AL West (outside of the Astros and a competitive though likely regressing Athletics team), but the roster has hardly improved from last season.

Record prediction: 79-83, 3rd in AL West