Injury-Riddled Angels Check In As Second-Worst Team In Latest ESPN Power Rankings

The Los Angeles Angels have officially hit rock bottom and are the worst team in the American League at 27-42.

This season has just been a disaster. Through 21 games, vibes were high for an 11-10 team that was swinging the bats well and pitching decently, but it’s been the opposite of easy going for the Angels.

Los Angeles is coming off a series win against the Houston Astros and have won three of its last four games, but it’s difficult to get even a little excited about this team given how poorly the rest of the season has gone.

The state of the AL right now still gives the Angels a chance to contend for the playoffs, but it’s unlikely that this team goes on a run that would put them in that position, although the team is just seven games back from the final wild card spot and nine games back from the Seattle Mariners for first place in the AL West.

Recently, the Angels have had a string of injuries that has seen the loss of right-hander Jack Kochanowicz, who pitched well for the first couple of months and was a nice part of the starting rotation. The big 25-year-old is set for Tommy John surgery.

“A rash of injuries has suddenly piled up for the Angels,” ESPN’s David Schoenfield wrote Thursday. “Jack Kochanowicz will have Tommy John surgery, which could put his 2027 season in jeopardy, and third baseman Yoan Moncada will undergo knee surgery and was placed on the 60-day IL.

“Jorge Soler, Vaughn Grissom and Adam Frazier were already on the IL. Then Nolan Schanuel and Sebastian Rivero exited Tuesday's game, with Rivero undergoing a CT scan on his hand on Wednesday.”

That’s a lot of playing time to account for, so that means young guys will be called up and get a lot more reps, including Angels No. 7 prospect shortstop Denzer Guzman. Guzman will fill in for Moncada at third base.

At Triple-A Salt Lake, Guzman was slashing .336/.403/.571 (.974 OPS) and had 12 home runs, 16 doubles and two triples while driving in 57 runs in 58 games. He has played two games for the Angels thus far but is hitless in 10 at-bats with one RBI.

Being the worst team in the AL translates to being the 29th ranked team in baseball, which is where ESPN placed the Angels in their latest power rankings.