5 questions facing Angels for 2022

ANAHEIM -- With Spring Training just around the corner, the Angels are focused on returning to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Despite Shohei Ohtani having an incredible season in 2021 that saw him win American League MVP honors, the Angels dealt with injuries to fellow stars such as Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon and didn’t have the pitching to make the postseason. But the Halos made a few moves to improve the pitching staff this offseason and there’s still time to improve the roster before Opening Day.

Here’s a look at five questions for the Angels headed into the 2022 season:

1. Will the Angels add more to the rotation?
The Angels signed Noah Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzen to one-year deals to join the rotation but they both carry some risk. Syndergaard has thrown just two innings at the big league level over the last two years, while Lorenzen has fared better as a reliever than a starter and has made just two starts over the last three years. Syndergaard and Lorenzen join a rotation that includes Ohtani and left-handers José Suarez and Patrick Sandoval. The Halos will have a six-man rotation again in 2022, so they could look to add another starter. They could go the trade route while in-house options include Jaime Barría, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning and Janson Junk.

2. How will they handle the shortstop situation?
The Angels have some depth at shortstop but lack players with experience in an everyday role. Luis Rengifo figures to be the favorite for the job, while others in the mix include Andrew Velazquez, Tyler Wade and Jack Mayfield. Brendon Davis was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason after a breakout year across three levels, including Triple-A. But there are still some big names available via free agency, such as Carlos Correa and Trevor Story. It would be a surprise to see the Halos make that kind of a move, but it also was a surprise when they signed Rendon two years ago instead of spending on pitching.

3. How will the bullpen shake out?
The Angels got their man this offseason when they re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias to a four-year deal worth $58 million. They didn’t have any obvious in-house solutions at closer, and now they have one of the best in the game locked up for several years. But it’s still unclear exactly how the rest of the bullpen will look, even after signing veteran lefty Aaron Loup to a two-year deal. Mike Mayers, Austin Warren, Andrew Wantz and José Quijada figure to be in that mix. The Halos also made some Minor League signings in Daniel Ponce de Leon and Kyle Barraclough, but could still add to their bullpen before the start of the season.

4. Who will play alongside Trout in the outfield?
Left fielder Justin Upton has struggled the last few seasons but will make $28 million in 2022 in the last year of his deal. With a full no-trade clause, it’s unlikely he’ll be moved, so he’ll remain in the mix in left field. The Angels also saw the development of former top prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell in the Majors last year and they both figure to get plenty of playing time. Upton appears likely to be relegated to more of a bench role, especially with Taylor Ward also adding outfield depth. There remains an outside chance the Halos could deal Marsh or Adell for pitching, but they are more likely to trade a prospect who hasn’t reached the Majors yet.

5. What will the coaching staff look like?
The Angels made a few changes to their coaching staff this offseason and they still haven’t officially set their coaching staff for 2022. One issue is that the club wanted to talk to Adam Eaton about being the first-base coach, but couldn’t during the lockout because he was still considered an active player. They hired Phil Nevin, Benji Gil and Bill Haselman for the coaching staff, while moving Ray Montgomery from a front-office role to bench coach. They’ve yet to announce the roles for Nevin, Gil or Haselman.