Predictions for the 2026 Halos ahead of Opening Day

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.

ANAHEIM -- After winning just 63 games in 2024, the Angels improved their win total by nine games last year and are looking to make another jump with their young core that has gained valuable experience over the last few seasons along with a mix of veterans led by Mike Trout.

The Angels have a new manager in Kurt Suzuki and a coaching staff that now includes pitching coach Mike Maddux, bench coach John Gibbons and hitting coach Brady Anderson. They’ll be aiding a core with stalwarts such as shortstop Zach Neto, first baseman Nolan Schanuel, catcher Logan O’Hoppe, right fielder Jo Adell and Opening Day starter José Soriano.

And those players are ready to shift the narrative and help the Angels get back to their winning ways.

“I think we're right there,” Neto said. “We all know what it takes now to get to that next level, to get to playing in October. It's just a matter of trusting each other, staying and just going out there and competing. Knowing that everybody thinks we're going to lose every single game and proving people wrong.”

What Needs to Go Right?

The Angels need to see their young core of position players such as Neto, Schanuel and O’Hoppe take a big step forward while seeing other key veterans bounce back such as Trout, Jorge Soler, Josh Lowe, Grayson Rodriguez and Kirby Yates. The rotation has some upside with Yusei Kikuchi, Soriano, Reid Detmers, No. 2 prospect Ryan Johnson and Rodriguez (who will open on the injured list) but also some risk with Detmers returning to starting after pitching in relief last year and Rodriguez missing last year due to injury and dealing with dead arm to start this season.

Great Unknown: Can Trout return to elite status?

Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, got through a full season last year, playing in 130 games, but did miss a month with a bone bruise in his twice-surgically repaired left knee sustained in April. He returned with less speed than usual and was relegated to designated hitter duty the rest of the year, and batted an uncharacteristic .232/.359/.439 with 26 homers and 64 RBIs. But Trout’s speed is back after a healthy offseason, reaching 30 feet per second in sprint speed for the first time since 2024, and he believes he can build on a strong finish to last season offensively. He’s also moving back to center field, which is where he’s much more comfortable, after his experiment in right last year.

Team MVP Will Be ... Zach Neto

Neto has led the Angels in WAR in each of the last two seasons, including last year when he was limited to 128 games after starting the year on the injured list following shoulder surgery. But Neto looks primed for an even bigger year with better health as a strong defender with power and speed. He’s a strong candidate to join the 30-30 club and is aiming to be an All-Star for the first time. The Angels would love to see Trout have a vintage year but Neto is likely the safer bet.

Team Cy Young Will Be ... José Soriano

Soriano has the stuff to be an ace and was rewarded as the Angels’ Opening Day starter for the first time in his career. But last year, he dealt with inconsistencies and posted a 4.26 ERA with 152 strikeouts and 78 walks in 169 innings. If he can cut down on his walk rate and avoid clunkers, he could be an All-Star for the first time. He gave up three earned runs or fewer in 23 of his 32 starts last year, but he also allowed eight runs twice, seven runs twice and five runs four times.

Bold Prediction: The Angels will have six players with at least 20 homers for the first time in club history

The Angels have had five players with at least 20 homers four different times in franchise history with the latest occurrence in 2000. But this year, the Angels will have six players reach that mark led by Adell, Trout, Neto, O’Hoppe, Lowe and Soler. Schanuel also has an outside shot to reach the 20-homer plateau if his power continues to develop. Hitting homers shouldn’t be an issue for the Angels, but they need to drastically cut down on their strikeout total from last year to see a meaningful improvement in runs scored.