LA Angels Off to Best Start Since 2011

The LA Angels are finally winning games again. Coming off a sweep of the Oakland A’s, they sit at 12-12 and are second in the American League West. Somehow, this is their best start since the 2011 season.

If there is anything that LA Angels fans are used to, it is that Mike Trout will be amazing, some of their starting pitchers will give up solo home runs (Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker) and the other starters will find themselves on the disabled list (CJ Wilson, Garrett Richards) at some point. However, from a team standpoint, dismal Aprils have become the norm. At a .500 record going into their weekend series against the Texas Rangers, this is the best start to a season for the Halos since their 2011 season.

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The Angels finished that season with an 86-76 record, finishing second in the AL West. They missed the A.L Wild Card berth by five games. Through 24 games in that season, they sat at 14-10 and were a half game out of first place in the A.L West. They currently sit three games behind the Houston Astros this season.

From 2012-2016, the Angels consistently got off to sluggish starts. Through those five seasons, they averaged 10.2 wins in their first 24 games. They made the playoffs in only one of those years. This was when they went 98-64 and had the best record in baseball. This season also led to Mike Trout’s first MVP Award. Because of these consistently poor starts, the Angels have had to rely on playing good ball over the dog days of summer. In 2014, they went 38-18 (.679 winning percentage) through July and August to secure their top seed entering the playoffs.

The Angels seem lined up to have a good summer because of the grittiness they have shown thus far. Nine of their 12 wins through Thursday were of the comeback fashion. This team has shown that they are never out of a game. Whether it was their seven-run ninth inning comeback against the Seattle Mariners or the three-run comeback against the Rangers the very next game, this team plays every inning with meaning.

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The Angels need only one more win in the next two days to finish over .500 in April which would be quite an accomplishment. We will see if they can do it.