2 Angels who are playing well in September, 2 who are struggling mightily

The Los Angeles Angels are not historically good in the month of September, and this year is more proof of that. The team is 6-14 so far this month, and only the Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers have a worse win percentage in that span. The pitching, like it's done all year, has struggled to limit runs, and the hitters, like they have all year, cannot stop striking out.

A couple of Angels players in particular are giving fans some hope moving forward, while a couple others are causing more dread amongst the masses.

2 Angels who are playing well in September

Jo Adell

Adell suffered from a bout of vertigo this month, which startled Angels fans given what it once did to the New York Yankees then-prized prospect in Clint Frazier. Adell has not been fantastic since getting back into the everyday batting order, but he was phenomenal to begin the month.

Adell won an American League Player of the Week award to begin September, and had an eight-game run where he hit five home runs, drove in 12 runs, and posted a .407/.448/1.000/1.448 slash. Post-vertigo, he has struggled to the tune of a .167/.219/.267/.485. He can still flash those major strides he's made in the team's final six games, but whether or not he does will not alter what fans think of him. He is firmly in fans' good graces thanks to his major breakout, and should prepare all offseason to be the team's every day right fielder in 2026 and beyond.

Kyle Hendricks

If Hendricks actually is calling it a career in a few days, he is going out on a high note. Hendricks leads all Angels pitchers in fWAR this month, which was helped immensely by his latest (and likely the penultimate outing of his career) outing against Colorado -- the 35-year-old turned back the clock with seven scoreless innings of three-hit baseball in the most hitter-friendly park in Coors Field.

This strong month is leaving Angels fans wanting more, even with his contract set to expire. The Angels could use some more continuity alongside Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano in the starting rotation, and Hendricks is as solid a fifth starter as there is in baseball.

2 Angels who are struggling mightily in September

Luis Rengifo

The Angels utility man, who will likely depart the organization in free agency this offseason, is not helping his future negotiations right now. Rengifo is in a contract year, and has flashed a lot for other teams to like this year. However, he is grinding to a halt in September, which will assuredly hurt his next contract.

In 17 games this month, Rengifo is slashing .185/.228/.315/.543. Those who follow the Angels did not think he could play any worse than he did in April and May, but he actually is so far in September. That batting average, which has always been Rengifo's calling card, is currently the lowest of any month this year (excluding four games in March). The same goes for his OBP, and 28% strikeout rate. His normally above average bat-to-ball skills are waning in a major way in what will probably be his final games in an Angels uniform.

José Fermin

Fermin, who is theoretically will play a not-insignificant part of the Angels future, is not pitching well at all this month. The 23-year-old is getting crucial major league reps at this late stage of the season, which is good. It's just unfortunate that his experience in The Show is not all-that positive.

Fermin ranks last in fWAR amongst Angels pitcher this month, as in his 7.2 innings pitched he has a 6.69 FIP and has allowed two home runs. His 3.52 ERA is good, but he has allowed an inherited run to score...and was at the center of a recent controversy because of that.

Yusei Kikuchi expressed frustration when Fermin replaced him in a game that the Angels had a lead in over the Milwaukee Brewers and their MLB-leading record. Fermin cashed in one of his runs, and interim manager Ray Montgomery had to field questions on the matter after Kikuchi's postgame comments. That's not all on Fermin, but he has shown that he is not entirely trustworthy in these spots and his outing did not assuage Kikuchi's strong feelings.