Angels' 2026 Success May Fall On Shoulders Of Players Looking To Revive Careers
The Los Angeles Angels are relying on both breakout and comeback seasons from too many players this season. Despite the Angels' roster having many question marks about its players' capabilities, Lucas opens the show with a bold take: Los Angeles is a dark-horse playoff team this season, but there are a few reasons this is controversial.
The Angels' roster lacks a lot of proven talent and is banking on great years from a number of players. Many of the team's newest additions are fighting to get their careers back on track, such as right-hander Alek Manoah, second baseman Vaughn Grissom and even center fielder Mike Trout, who is more looking to avoid another setback after multiple seasons of battling injuries.
Manoah was once a premier pitcher in Major League Baseball who, almost inexplicably, fell from grace and hasn't been able to find his footing in the majors for roughly two years now. Grissom was a highly touted prospect with a lot of upside until he struggled with the Boston Red Sox and was promptly traded to the Angels after spending ample time in the minors.
As for Trout, he'll go down as one of the best to ever play the sport, but has struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Even with all the uncertainty, the trio still thinks the Angels will have roughly 73-80 wins, sitting somewhere close to the .500 mark. Peter isn't sold on the team and has low expectations, as many fans likely do.
The trio then makes their predictions for this season's opening day roster, which proceeds as follows: C Logan O'Hoppe 1st Nolan Schanuel 2nd Christian Moore Shortstop Zach Neto Third Yoán Moncada/ Jeimer Candelario OF Mike Trout/Jo Adell/Josh Lowe SP Yusei Kikuchi As for the outfield, the Angels have already noted that Trout will be in center field, making the return to that position after many years.
The trio makes a strong case for each position, so be sure to listen to the podcast for an in-depth response for each selection. The Angels' first Spring Training game is Saturday, Feb. 21, against their across-town rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Wrapping up the show, Lucas points out that the 2026 Angels have a shot at being a very fun team to watch and have the pieces to compete, but as noted above, it may take a lot of things falling into place for the club to reach the postseason. To make sure you don't miss a beat with Los Angeles as the regular season approaches, join Roundtable's Angels site and be a part of the community to voice your opinions!
The Los Angeles Angels might need a lot to go right for a chance at the postseason, and it starts with their projected opening day roster. The Los Angeles Angels might need a lot to go right for a chance at the postseason, and it starts with their projected opening day roster.