ANAHEIM -- After a successful Spring Training that saw several key players have huge springs and no notable players suffer any major injuries, the Angels are ready to contend in 2021 and are aiming for their first postseason berth since 2014.
Optimism is running high in Anaheim, especially with the incredible spring from two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who proved he’s healthy by throwing 102 mph on the mound and leading the club in homers. As fellow star Mike Trout noted, it’s like adding two All-Stars, as Ohtani is elite at both hitting and pitching and the Angels plan to be aggressive with him after injuries affected his past three seasons.
The Angels are a star-laden club led by Trout, Ohtani and Anthony Rendon, but they'll need to rely on depth and other key veterans in order to fulfill their goal of returning to October play. They're not short on confidence, either: Trout and the Angels believe they have what it takes to be a real threat in the American League this season.
"Everybody's mentality in the clubhouse is to win the division," Trout said. "We just have to take it one step at a time, one game at a time and see where it goes. We have a good group of guys with chemistry. The atmosphere in that clubhouse is loose. We're excited for this year."
Manager Joe Maddon also stressed the fundamentals this spring, as he’s trying to bring a 1985-style of baseball back with an emphasis on baserunning, defense and contact. Of course, the club still has plenty of power -- the Angels were fifth in the AL in homers in 2020 with 85 -- but they’ll need more than just that to reach the promised land in 2021.
What needs to go right?
The Angels should be a strong offensive club after finishing fourth in the AL in runs scored last year, but the big question, as always, is about their pitching.
The Angels are employing a six-man rotation this year consisting of Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Griffin Canning, Ohtani and new additions José Quintana and Alex Cobb. The Angels bullpen led the Majors in blown saves last year, but the club picked up veteran closer Raisel Iglesias in a trade with the Reds to help shore up that issue. Beyond Iglesias' addition, there are still question marks in the bullpen, as setup relievers Mike Mayers and Alex Claudio will need to step up. Right-hander Ty Buttrey, a fixture in the bullpen for the past few seasons, was optioned on Sunday, though Maddon expects him to contribute at the big league level as the season progresses.
On the position player side, the Angels would love to see resurgent years from Justin Upton and Albert Pujols, who were two of their better hitters in camp, while Jared Walsh (.293/.324/.646 with nine homers) and Max Stassi (.278/.352/.533 with seven homers) each have to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. Beyond that, the Angels know what they’re getting from Trout and Rendon, who provide one of the best 1-2 combos in baseball.
Great unknown
Ohtani is healthy and proved it with an amazing showing in Spring Training, but now he has to prove that he can do it over the course of a full season.
Ohtani had a flashy first season in the Majors that saw him win the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year Award, but Tommy John surgery at the end of that year and a left knee operation in 2019 slowed his progression. Last year, he made just two starts before he was shut down from pitching because of an elbow/forearm strain.
Add it all up and Ohtani has thrown just 1 2/3 innings over the last two seasons. Needless to say, it’ll be a big jump for Ohtani to pitch more regularly in 2021, but the Angels believe he’s ready for it. He’ll be a normal member of their six-man rotation while also serving as designated hitter three to five times a week, possibly in games that he’s pitching in. If he can return to form and stay healthy the whole year, it would be a major boost to the club’s postseason chances.
Team MVP will be ...
It’s hard not to go with Trout, as he won AL MVP honors in ’14, ’16 and ’19, and has an active streak of finishing in the Top 5 of the balloting for AL MVP for nine straight seasons. He finished fifth last year -- his worst finish since coming up fourth in ’19 -- but said he’s fixed his swing mechanics at the plate this spring after feeling a bit uncomfortable offensively last year.
Rendon and Ohtani could also be in that mix, but Trout is the best player in the Majors and is always the odds-on favorite for the award.
Team Cy Young will be ...
Bundy is coming off a breakout year and backed it up with an impressive showing in Cactus League play. The 28-year-old has the stuff to be an ace and now has a better idea of how to utilize it. He's set to be a free agent after the season and could land a big contract this offseason with a strong campaign. Ohtani has a solid case as well, but Bundy, who finished ninth in the balloting for the award last year, seems like the best pick here.
Bold prediction
The Angels will end their postseason drought and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 by winning the American League West. The offense will carry the team, while they’ll get just enough help from the pitching staff to break into October play. The Astros and A’s lost key free agents last winter, which will help the Angels capture the division title.
Heck, they might even win their first postseason game since 2009, or two years before Trout debuted.