Angels optimism for '27 grows as they trend in right direction

This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger’s Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

WEST SACRAMENTO -- With five games left in the regular season, the Angels have some extra motivation to finish strong, as they’re trying to avoid losing 100 games for the first time in franchise history.

The Angels, who are 60-97 after their loss against the Athletics on Tuesday, need to win three games to avoid 100 losses. They’re the only MLB club to never top the century mark in losses and would love to keep it that way.

Either way, it’s still been a rough season for the Angels, but there is reason for optimism based on several trends this season and a new ownership group coming in. Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the club is expected to be official in the first quarter of 2027.

Here’s a look at a few recent trends for the Angels, as they look to put the ’26 season behind them and build toward the future:

The rotation’s performance over the last two months

The biggest reason for encouragement has been how well the rotation has pitched since the start of August, and really since the Angels dismissed their pitching coaches and brought on Tim Leveque as interim pitching coach and Michael Wuertz as interim bullpen coach. Since the start of August, Angels starters have combined for a 2.91 ERA (84 ER in 259 2/3 IP), which ranks second in the Majors.

Lefty Reid Detmers has pitched like an ace since then with a 2.05 ERA over his last 12 starts and remains under team control for two more years. Rookie Walbert Ureña has been a revelation with a 2.74 ERA in 144 1/3 innings while fellow rookies George Klassen and Ryan Johnson have also displayed plenty of promise.

Klassen posted a 3.67 ERA in six starts before being shut down with a back injury, while Johnson has a 2.39 ERA over his last nine starts. Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez has also pitched better, with a 4.12 ERA over his last 10 outings, while veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi remains under contract for $21 million next year.

The Angels suddenly have starting pitching depth for the first time in recent memory, while several top pitching prospects such as Tyler Bremner (No. 2), Johnny Slawinski (No. 5), Dylan Jordan (No. 9) and Trey Gregory-Alford (No. 11) also had strong years in the Minors.

Wade Meckler’s emergence as left fielder

It’s no secret the Angels have struggled offensively, and getting the offense on track will be one of the biggest goals in ’27. But Anaheim native Wade Meckler went from being a fun story to proving he’s a capable everyday player in left field. He's slashed .292/.368/.374 with three homers, 14 doubles and 27 RBIs in 93 games, bringing much-needed contact and on-base skills to the lineup.

He still has to show he can handle lefties and doesn’t have much power, but he’s the type of spark plug the Angels need in their lineup. The Angels are still likely to target another outfielder this offseason and are in desperate need of a left-handed power hitter, but Meckler’s unexpected ascendance has been a pleasant surprise.

Right field remains a question mark, especially after trading Jo Adell to the Guardians. The Angels are likely to add an infielder to the mix this offseason. But they can at least count on Meckler to be part of their plans in ’27.

Trouble in one-run games and extra innings

One major issue for the Angels has been their inability to hold late leads and their struggles in extra innings. The Angels have lost 11 games when leading in the ninth inning, matching the 2012 Brewers and 1978 Mets for the ignominious MLB record. They are also just 19-29 in one-run games and 6-14 in extra innings.

As a result, their -89 run differential is more indicative of a team with a 69-88 record based on their Pythagorean winning percentage. Like the offense, the bullpen remains a big concern, but it should be easier to fix this offseason. Their record would look much different this year if they could simply protect leads with a capable closer.

It’s also encouraging that flamethrower Ben Joyce has been healthy in his return from shoulder surgery, while rookie Samy Natera Jr. had a 3.13 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings before being shut down with left forearm inflammation that won’t require surgery. Rule 5 right-hander Ryan Watson and lefties Tayler Saucedo and Blake Weiman have also been solid over the last two months.