The Angels’ Leading Players
Take a look at the top of the Angels lineup.
The former American League player of the week is in the leadoff spot. The Angels breakout star replaced MVP, Shohei Ohtani, at the top of the lineup earlier this season. Ward earned his spot by getting on base and driving in runs and currently has the highest batting average on the team at .310. However, staying healthy has been the issue. Ward has already missed 24 games this year.
The three-time MVP is batting second in the lineup. With 21 home runs, Trout has hit the second most dingers this season, trailing behind Aaron Judge. While his homerun count is impressive, a historic batting slump has helped contribute to a quick collapse for the Angels who went from first place in the American League West to third and the ultimate firing of their manager, Joe Madden. Having a .284 batting average does not seem adequate for a player who is being paid $426.5 million. The formula seems simple: if Trout hits, the Angels win.
Tuesday night’s game against the Royals was the perfect example of why the Angels should keep Shohei in the three-hole. Ohtani went 3 for 4, including two home runs and eight RBIs. The following night, Ohtani took the mound and pitched eight innings of shut out ball while racking up 13 strikeouts becoming the first player in MLB history to hit eight or more RBIs in one game then strike out 13 the very next game. Ohtani's work ethic and stamina has allowed him to play in 69 of 72 games this season, which is a rare occurrence among professional ballplayers.
Overview:
It seems like every time you watch players like Ohtani or Trout play, you are watching baseball history being made, yet the Angels are stuck at third place in their division. The Halos are the only team who could have multiple MVPs and still trail behind the Rangers.
Image Credits: "Angels Baseball Playoff" by Rockin Robin is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.