In 2024, the White Sox were not just bad, they were legendarily bad. In 2025, the Rockies were similarly awful. So...is it possible that 2026's last place team will just be a normal, regular old bad team. No 'worst team ever' stuff? Because right now, I don't think the Rockies are the worst team in baseball, I don't think the White Sox are anywhere near the worst team in baseball...and even if they're 30th of 30...the Angels aren't even an interesting kind of terrible.
Like, okay, what do they have. Their best pitcher's Jose Soriano, who's having a Cy Young caliber age-27 season, with a 6-3 record, a 2.44 ERA and 74 Ks. He might not be an Angel in August, guys. I don't see why they wouldn't try to trade him. And yes, it'd lead them with a rotation consisting of Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz, Grayson Rodriguez, Walbert Ureña and, eventually, Yusei Kikuchi, but they've come back from worse. Besides, isn't it fun that they've got a guy named Walbert? Nobody's named Walbert!
Their best hitter is Mike Trout, who, despite only hitting .239, has 12 homers and 25 RBIs. The lower sample size is due to having 47 walks, which should be your indication that he's back. Nobody walked him when he wasn't hitting. They also are getting a pretty decent year out of Zach Neto, who's got 10 homers and 24 RBIs despite 73 Ks, which makes him one of 4 Angels with over 50 Ks. Neto's still looking like a foundational piece for this team, but I also said that about David Fletcher, Taylor Ward and Jared Walsh and Trout outlasted them all.
Beyond that, a lot of the lineup plan is already being crumpled and tossed. Moncada's hurt [as he tends to be], so the backups, namely Vaughn Grissom, Adam Frazier and Donovan Walton, are covering third. Josh Lowe didn't work, so they're going with Jose Siri and Wade Meckler in left, and both are...doing alright so far. Oswald Peraza's actually been pretty brilliant covering second, he's displayed all the contact wonder that the Yankees had zero room for. Nolan Schanuel, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler have had decent moments but all are struggling at various other facets. You look at the gameplan for last season and barely any of it's shown up this year. Where's Karen Paris? Where's Christian Moore? What about Caden Dana and Sam Aldegheri, weren't they supposed to be the next starting guns back in 2024? Even the Alek Manoah publicity stunt bombed. That guy might just be cooked, which is pretty upsetting.
It's really frustrating to look around this team that's been trying to build something for so long and see no immediate future. It can't just be Trout, the Angels have been trying to look beyond Trout for a decade now. But, this is where they are. And as they remain in last, they need to start being honest with themselves. Soriano's probably gonna go...Trout might need to as well, sad to say. And then they can actually focus on a full rebuild, which has worked with the White Sox. If it hasn't occurred to them yet, that's on them.
Coming Tonight: Ironically the guy the Angels cut last year, who's now having a bounce back year in THE place to bounce back.
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