Projections reveal a surprise breakout star poised to lead the Angels' resurgence, even amid challenging season outlooks.
There may not be serious hope for a winning season for the Los Angeles Angels in 2026, but a new season is a new season, and that brings excitement either way. After back-to-back seasons with at least 90 losses, the Angels are hoping for at least an improvement from last year.
They were fairly active during the offseason, making several trades and signing key players set to have real roles on the 2026 team. The biggest move was undoubtedly the Halos cashing in on slugging outfielder Taylor Ward’s value, landing right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez in return.
Though the move addressed the Halos’ need for pitching in exchange for one more year of Ward, it’s already looking shaky for the Angels as Rodriguez is starting the season on the injured list. It’s a concerning sign for a player who missed all of 2025 with an injury.
The Angels also acquired players like right-hander Kirby Yates, infielder Adam Frazier, and outfielder Josh Lowe during the offseason to fill some holes in the roster. Though they may not be needle-movers for the Halos, their impact on this 2026 team will be something to keep an eye out for.
In Bleacher Report’s recent article, each MLB team had its projected lineups, rotations, and awards predicted.
For the Angels, the most surprising piece of the projections was shortstop Zach Neto being the club’s MVP. The club’s best rookie is expected to be right-hander Ryan Johnson, while left-hander Reid Detmers is expected to be both the Angels’ breakout player and best pitcher on the roster.
Neto is heading into 2026 off the back of consecutive 5.1 WAR campaigns, and with Mike Trout’s decline last season, it may now officially be Neto’s team. It’s no surprise that Neto is projected to be the most valuable Halo after being just that over the last couple of seasons.
Johnson made his major league debut last season, pitching in 14 games in relief for the club. He struggled to adjust, recording a 7.36 ERA and 1.98 WHIP. Still, the club’s No. 2 prospect has shown some strong outings in spring, and given the lack of depth in the Angels’ rotation, he is getting his chance as a starter from the jump in 2026.
The biggest surprise from the predictions comes with Detmers. The left-hander brought his ERA back under 4.00 last season after a switch to the bullpen, but he’ll be returning as a starter in 2026. Bleacher Report believes he’ll take this chance and run with it, becoming the most valuable pitcher on the roster.
There is some cause for concern, however, given Detmers’ appearances in the spring. In his three starts, he’s posted a 7.27 ERA and 1.73 WHIP. It’s not the ideal start for the returning starter, but Angels fans are certainly hoping for Detmers to become that exciting starter once again after some years. His three-inning outing with zero earned runs last night provides the encouragement Angels fans need heading into 2026.