The 2023 MLB season is already well underway, with franchises across the country – as well as the Toronto Blue Jays as Canada’s sole representatives – already stepping up to the plate as they each look to try and reach the 2023 World Series.
The Los Angeles Angels are definitely one of those teams that many feel have a chance of reaching the showcase game at the end of the campaign, and their start in the AL West is one that has had fans thinking that they can.
Is 2023 Going To Be A Case Of “Same-Old” For The Angels?
The hype around the franchises’ chances of playing in the World Series is not unusual. The organization is used to experiencing a lot of backing at the beginning of the season as preseason tends to build excitement quite regularly.
However, as fans will know, that hype is typically held for a little while as a top start is experienced but then the team tails off towards the end of the season and ultimately disappoint many with their performances once the year comes to an end.
And, with the 2023 MLB season already in progress, it does appear that there is much of the same once again involving the Angels. The team has had a solid start to the campaign and as of writing, are second in the AL West with a 5-5 record. They had a lot of success throughout May last season and there is hope that that will be replicated once again. Fans, though, will also remember how downhill things went from there after as they went from 27-23 at the end of the month to 73-89; finishing third in the AL West and missing out on the postseason.
Angels Have a Talented Team
Offseason spending has taken place with owner Arte Moreno bringing in Brandon Drury and Tyler Anderson before acquiring Hunter Renfroe and Gio Urshela in trades.
Alongside the likes of Shohei Ohtani, the Angels managed to enter the 2023 MLB season with a strong roster that is stacked with talent, hence why there has been a lot of hype around the franchise and their chances of competing for the World Series. That hype, though, may be a little misplaced if the bookies odds are anything to go by.
According to the MLB odds to have been offered at the start of the season, the Angels were only thought of as an outsider at +4,000; perhaps with the nightmare memories of last season still fresh. Teams such as last year’s winners, the Houston Astros (+600), and the Atlanta Braves (+750) were considered to be the favorites, while the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees (+900) are believed to be the main challengers outside the favorites.
With the price of +4,000, the Angels are thought to be 16th in the list of 30 teams to win the 2023 World Series as they are just ahead of the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants (both +5,000), as well as the Boston Red Sox (+6,000).
Will the Angels Challenge?
When you consider that the Angels have not had a winning record since 2015 and the last time they made the postseason was in 2014, it would be hard to fully believe any of the hype that does continually surround the team each year.
It is not hard to understand why that hype does exist in preseason as the roster that gets assembled is one that can compete against anyone on paper, however things have been very different on the field. At the mound and on the plate, things overall simply have not been good enough.
The AL West is a highly competitive division in MLB, which has only made the California franchise’s life even more difficult when it comes to challenging for a place in the playoffs. This cannot be considered an excuse, though, as you have to beat the best to win a World Series, or even compete for it in the postseason.
Key players like Ohtani and Mike Trout are going to be key, as are the newest additions to the squad. Keep those individuals fit, and the organization has a chance. If injuries occur, then the next best player needs to step up and be ready. If not, the 2023 MLB season could be another disappointing baseball season for the Angels.