Los Angeles Angels 2025 Season Preview

This is a franchise that had Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on the same roster for years and won absolutely nothing. Ohtani is in his second season as a Dodger. Trout spends more time being hurt than a teenager’s feelings after being dumped. The Los Angeles Angels are more likely to finish last in the AL West than to be one of the MLB teams talked about in September.

2025 Los Angeles Angels Win Total Projection & World Series Odds

In MLB news, few if anyone expects the Angels to factor into MLB playoff predictions. They are sitting at +15000 in World Series odds. Not a good look in the AL West. One can understand why their WS odds are so long when you see the win total projection is a puny 72½. It will be surprising if many MLB picks think the Angels will top that total.

2025 Los Angeles Angels Projected Starting Lineup

Per MLB.com:

• Taylor Ward, LF
• Nolan Schanuel, 1B
• Mike Trout, RF
• Jorge Soler, DH
• Logan O’Hoppe, C
• Yoán Moncada, 3B
• Luis Rengifo, 2B
• Jo Adell, CF
• Kevin Newman, SS

Lineup Strengths and Weaknesses

Since 2020, Trout has played in more than 100 games once. That’s a shame for a player who was once considered the face of baseball. Sixty of his 311 home runs have come in the last five seasons. MLB teams used to fear facing him. Now, the Angels fear he will be out of the lineup far more than he will be in it. That’s part of the reason there are so little expectations from this team.

Missing from the projected lineup is another player who has been impacted by MLB injuries. Zach Neto is on his way back from shoulder surgery. It is a sign of the team that excitement comes when a player increases their throwing distance. Journeyman Kevin Newman will fill in for the time being.

Another player whose MLB and Angel career has been dominated by MLB injuries is Anthony Rendon. He has never played more than 58 games in a season since signing with Los Angeles in 2020. He had hip surgery and is out for a prolonged period. This lineup is more like an infirmary roster than a baseball team.

If you are looking for a positive, Ward comes off a season where he hit 25 home runs and 75 RBI. Adell has 20 home runs. They will need a lot more help if this team is to top its projected win total.

Los Angeles Angels Projected Starting Rotation

The projected rotation:

1. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP
2. Tyler Anderson, LHP
3. José Soriano, RHP
4. Kyle Hendricks, RHP
5. Jack Kochanowicz, RHP

MLB matchups had other teams loving facing the Angels in 2024. They did not have a single starting pitcher with a better than .500 record.

Kikuchi is on his third team in the AL West and his career started in 2019. He made 10 starts for the Astros last year. That’s where the hope looks for a No. 1 starter.

Three of the other starters combined to go 18-28 last year. Don’t blame the pitching for everything. This is a team that lost the best player in baseball to free agency and has seen two other stars injured nonstop. It’s tough to be a starting pitcher on a team that is so damaged.

Projected Bullpen

Kenley Jansen, Ben Joyce, Ryan Zeferjahn, Brock Burke, José Quijada, Jack Kochanowicz, Hans Crouse, José Suarez

That’ll teach them. The Angels get a former Dodger to anchor their bullpen. Jansen has bounced around since leaving LA. It will be intriguing to see how much work the Angels can get him. MLB experts picks shouldn’t expect him to be pitching in too many high-pressure games as the season rolls along.

Kochanowicz made 11 starts last year so he should be expected to pitch in long relief. The rest of the pitchers will have to contribute and try and make a name for themselves.

Los Angeles Angels Schedule and Key Matchups

The schedule-maker didn’t do the Angels any favors to start the season. In April, they will play 16 of their 25 games on the road. That’s a recipe for a sluggish start and it could ruin them in the first month.

There is a home series against only AL East teams to start May before a testing roast trip on the West Coast that will pit the Angels against the Padres, Dodgers and Athletics. When you are where the Angels are, even a series against the nomad Athletics can be a challenge.

There are a couple of nice homestands in June. However, there will be road games at Fenway, Camden Yards, and Yankee Stadium. Nothing seems easy for this LA team with all of its MLB injuries. A perfect example is coming out of the All-Star break with series at the Phillies and Mets.

The Dodgers come to town in August for a Freeway Series. In the final month, when the Angels figure to be out of the mix, there are 14 road games. The season ends at home with a series versus the Royals and Astros.

October games will be unlikely, just as those who make MLB predictions.