2020 Angels season preview: Who'll help Trout, Ohtani, and Rendon?
The Los Angeles Angels are going to be a popular dark horse pick given the fact they have the best player on the planet in a 60-game season. Add Anthony Rendon into the mix and the lineup is certainly a threat.
The only thing holding them back in a condensed campaign is their pitching depth. Factor in that even a single stint on the injured list from Mike Trout, Rendon, or Shohei Ohtani will turn them into a mediocre club and a lot of things have to break right for the Angels to do damage.
2020 Breakdown
2019 record: 72-90 (4th in AL West)
Payroll: $180,145,036
Projected record: 30-30 (3rd)
World Series odds: +2500
3-year trend: 2017 (2nd); 2018 (4th); 2019 (4th)
Key addition: Anthony Rendon
Key subtraction: Kole Calhoun
Highest projected WAR: Mike Trout (3.0)
X-factor: Shohei Ohtani
Prospect to watch: Jo Adell
Winter report card: B-
Projected Lineup
| Order | Player | Pos. | Proj. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tommy La Stella (L) | 2B | 0.5 |
| 2 | Mike Trout | CF | 3.0 |
| 3 | Anthony Rendon | 3B | 2.0 |
| 4 | Shohei Ohtani (L) | DH | 0.8 |
| 5 | Albert Pujols | 1B | 0.0 |
| 6 | Justin Upton | LF | 0.5 |
| 7 | Brian Goodwin (L) | RF | 0.0 |
| 8 | Andrelton Simmons | SS | 1.1 |
| 9 | Jason Castro (L) | C | 0.7 |
Bench
| Player | Pos. | Proj. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| David Fletcher | IF | 0.6 |
| Michael Hermosillo | OF | 0.0 |
| Max Stassi | C | 0.5 |
| Matt Thaiss (L) | 3B | 0.0 |
| Jared Walsh (L) | IF | 0.0 |
| Taylor Ward | IF/OF | 0.0 |
*Bold indicates player acquired during offseason
Trout, Rendon, and Ohtani form one of the most formidable trios in MLB. The cast of characters surrounding them, though, could leave the team vulnerable. Off the top, La Stella is coming off a remarkable breakout in 2019 and could repeat, even if projections don't see it. Upton is routinely an enigma, but if he can slug like he did in 2018, he's a marked asset. Down at the bottom of the lineup are defensive experts Simmons and Castro, both of whom are elite at their trades but haven't produced much offensive output in recent years. That leaves us with Goodwin - who should almost definitely lose his job to top prospect Adell if the team wants to win - and Pujols. The veteran slugger just isn't what he used to be and if he's not going to be relegated to the bench for a better hitter, he should at least be put further down the lineup card.
Rotation
| Pitcher | Throws | Proj. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Heaney | L | 4.01 |
| Dylan Bundy | R | 4.47 |
| Shohei Ohtani | R | 3.69 |
| Griffin Canning | R | 4.29 |
| Matt Andriese | R | 4.60 |
| Patrick Sandoval | L | 4.27 |
Ohtani is the star, and with the season starting later than expected, the Angels now have the opportunity to deploy the phenom in the rotation right away. Beyond Heaney and prospect Canning, the club has largely thrown together spare parts and hopes it yields dividends. As a prospect, Bundy was highly touted. That hasn't panned out in the majors, but maybe Castro - a noted framer - can unlock something. Andriese has become a bit of a journeyman and is good depth for when Julio Teheran returns from his absence.
Bullpen
| Pitcher | Throws | Proj. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Hansel Robles | R | 4.23 |
| Ty Buttrey | R | 3.53 |
| Cam Bedrosian | R | 4.06 |
| Felix Pena | R | 4.15 |
| Patrick Sandoval | L | 4.16 |
| Noe Ramirez | R | 4.23 |
| Ryan Buchter | L | 4.44 |
| Mike Mayers | R | 4.44 |
| Jacob Barnes | R | 4.50 |
| Keynan Middleton | R | 4.63 |
| Hoby Milner | L | 3.82 |
Buttrey continues to be a hidden gem for the bullpen. The right-hander was part of the return the Halos got for sending Ian Kinsler to the Red Sox, and he's turned into an elite fireman. Still, beyond Buttrey, L.A. lacks many trustworthy options and FanGraphs' projection model has them as the 21st bullpen in the majors.
Key injuries/Absences
| Player | Position | Absence |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Marsh (L) | OF | Undisclosed |
| Dillon Peters | SP | Undisclosed |
| Luis Rengifo (S) | IF | Undisclosed |
| Jose Suarez | SP | Undisclosed |
| Julio Teheran | SP | COVID-19 |
| Justin Anderson | RP | Tommy John surgery |
(Projected WAR/ERA source: FanGraphs)