While the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros lost significant players from teams that have owned the American League West for four seasons, the Angels added a potential ace and middle-of-the-order slugger without swinging a major trade or spending an additional dime in free agency.
This did not require any sleight-of-hand wizardry from new general manager Perry Minasian or unearthing of far-flung phenoms by the scouting department.
All that was needed is a clean bill of health for Shohei Ohtani, the dynamic two-way player who could provide the impact arm and bat the Angels need to finally end their six-year playoff drought.
Ohtani has been flinging 100-mph fastballs and launching tape-measure home runs throughout Arizona this spring, fueling hopes he can become the two-way force he was for two months as a rookie in 2018 before elbow and knee injuries derailed his career.
If Ohtani can regain his pitching form after a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery, he would bolster a rotation that added Alex Cobb and Jose Quintana as depth behind Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning but lacks a starter who can dominate.
And if he can regain his 2018-19 hitting form after slinking to a .190 average and .657 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 2020, he would add a lethal left-handed bat to a lineup that features two of the best right-handed hitters in baseball in Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
Because of his prodigious potential on the mound and in the box — and the gaping voids he leaves if he’s unable to pitch or swing the bat to his capabilities — there may be no bigger X-factor in baseball than Ohtani, on whose broad shoulders the Angels’ playoff fortunes could very well ride.
“And I think he knows that,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “I want him to just be himself, but if we get similar performances on the mound and at the plate, there’s no telling [how good the Angels can be].”
Ohtani, 26, entered the final weekend of exhibition play batting .571 (16 for 28) with a 1.107 OPS, five homers and eight RBIs in 11 games. Though he had a 7.88 ERA in three starts, he struck out 14 and walked five in eight innings, his fastball touching 102 mph and his split-fingered fastball nasty at times.
Pitchers will no doubt attack Ohtani more aggressively and with more precision than they did this spring, but Ohtani has a more solid foundation in the batter’s box than he did in 2020, when his swing mechanics were so out of whack that his feet sometimes moved before his bat.
Ohtani’s upper body and lower body are in sync. A revamped strength-and-conditioning program and better diet this offseason also appear to be paying dividends for the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Ohtani.
“Body-wise, he’s stronger than he was in the past,” Minasian said. “I like where he’s at mentally — I think he’s in a really good place, very confident. … The guy’s a freak. He can do things on a baseball field that other people can’t do.”
Ohtani’s ascent comes as the Astros and A’s are receding and the Rangers and Mariners are rebuilding, a combination that could give the Angels their best chance of winning the AL West since their last title in 2014.
Houston, which won three straight division titles with 100-win teams from 2017 to 2019, lost star center fielder George Springer, right fielder Josh Reddick and closer Robert Osuna to free agency and ace Justin Verlander to Tommy John surgery.
And left-hander Framber Valdez, who went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA in a breakout 2020 season, will miss at least two months because of a broken left ring finger.
Oakland, which reached the playoffs with 97-win teams in 2018 and 2019, and won the division in 2020, lost shortstop Marcus Semien, second baseman Tommy La Stella, closer Liam Hendriks and setup man Joakim Soria to free agency.
The Angels have more starting pitching depth, a better closer in Raisel Iglesias, a solid shortstop in Jose Iglesias and a stout infield defense headed by third baseman Anthony Rendon.
They have Trout, the three-time AL most valuable player who at 29 is still in his prime, and the ultimate wild card in Ohtani, who could be ready to fill his tantalizing potential.
“I think the Angels are improved big-time,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “You better watch out for those Angels.”
American League West predicted order of finish
ANGELS
2020 | 26-34, 4th in West
Last year in playoffs | 2014
A lineup featuring sluggers Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and a rejuvenated Justin Upton tilts a little too much to the right side, so Shohei Ohtani and Jared Walsh must provide pop from the left side. With more consistent starts from a deeper, Ohtani-infused rotation and a more reliable closer in Raisel Iglesias, the Angels are well positioned to end their six-year playoff drought.
Lineup
2B David Fletcher
DH Shohei Ohtani
CF Mike Trout
3B Anthony Rendon
LF Justin Upton
1B Jared Walsh
SS Jose Iglesias
C Max Stassi
RF Dexter Fowler
Rotation
RH Dylan Bundy
LH Andrew Heaney
RH Shohei Ohtani
LH Jose Quintana
RH Griffin Canning
RH Alex Cobb
Setup
RH Mike Mayers
Closer
RH Raisel Iglesias
HOUSTON ASTROS
2020 | 29-31, 2nd in West
Last year in playoffs | 2020
Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel comprise one of baseball’s best-hitting infields, and the emergence of Kyle Tucker (.837 OPS, nine homers, 42 RBIs in 2020) helps ease the loss of George Springer. The Astros did well to shore up an injury-plagued rotation by signing Jake Odorizzi, but they don’t appear to have the pitching depth to win the division.
Lineup
2B Jose Altuve
LF Michael Brantley
3B Alex Bregman
SS Carlos Correa
DH Yordan Alvarez
1B Yuli Gurriel
RF Kyle Tucker
CF Myles Straw
C Martin Maldonado
Rotation
RH Zack Greinke
RH Lance McCullers Jr.
RH Jose Urquidy
RH Jake Odorizzi
RH Cristian Javier
Setup
RH Enoli Paredes
Closer
RH Ryan Pressly
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
2020 | 36-24, 1st in West
Last year in playoffs | 2020
Matt Chapman and Matt Olson give the A’s a potent right-left middle-of-the-order punch and premium defense in the corner infield, and a solid rotation should keep Oakland in the playoff hunt. But a division title appears out of reach for a team that lost its two top relievers (Liam Hendriks, Joaquin Soria) and star shortstop Marcus Semien to free agency.
Lineup
CF Ramon Laureano
CF Mark Canha
3B Matt Chapman
1B Matt Olson
C Sean Murphy
DH Mitch Moreland
RF Stephen Piscotty
SS Elvis Andrus
2B Tony Kemp
Rotation
RH Chris Bassitt
LH Jesus Luzardo
LH Sean Manaea
RH Frankie Montas
LH A.J. Puk
Setup
LH Jake Diekman
Closer
RH Trevor Rosenthal
SEATTLE MARINERS
2020 | 27-33, 3rd in West
Last year in playoffs | 2001
The Mariners should have one of baseball’s best young outfields when top prospect Jarred Kelenic joins 2020 AL rookie of the year Kyle Lewis and Taylor Trammell in the big leagues. Veteran left-hander James Paxton adds quality depth to the rotation, but it will be tough to overcome a thin bullpen.
Lineup
SS J.P. Crawford
RF Mitch Haniger
CF Kyle Lewis
3B Kyle Seager
DH Ty France
2B Dylan Moore
LF Taylor Trammell
1B Evan White
C Tom Murphy
Rotation
LH Marco Gonzales
LH Yusei Kikuchi
LH James Paxton
LH Justus Sheffield
RH Chris Flexen
RH Justin Dunn
Setup
RH Kendall Graveman
Closer
RH Rafael Montero
TEXAS RANGERS
2020 | 22-38, 5th in West
Last year in playoffs | 2016
The bullpen was expected to be a strength before injuries to projected closer Jose Leclerc (elbow), hard-throwing right-hander Jonathan Hernandez (elbow) and left-handers Brett Martin (back) and Joely Rodriguez (ankle). A lack of lineup protection will probably prevent slugger Joey Gallo from seeing enough fastballs to match his 40-homer seasons of 2017 and 2018.
Lineup
SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
LF David Dahl
RF Joey Galllo
3B Rougned Odor
2B Nick Solak
DH Nate Lowe
1B Ronald Guzman
C Jose Trevino
CF Leody Taveras
Rotation
RH Kyle Gibson
RH Kohei Arihara
RH Jordan Lyles
RH Mike Foltynewicz
RH Dane Dunning
Setup
RH Ian Kennedy
Closer
RH Matt Bush
