Angels Schedule: Halos have tough ride in shortened season

The Los Angeles Angels announced their 2020 season schedule on Monday and the team will have their work cut out for them.

The 2020 MLB schedule has officially been released by the league, and as has been discussed in length throughout the various negotiations, the shortened season will feature a regional only schedule. While that is good news for the Los Angeles Angels in terms of travel and potential exposure to COVID-19, the team will nonetheless have a tough go of it in 2020.

It was originally thought that the Angels could benefit from a regional schedule, removing the exposure of their pitchers to some of the offensive heavy units in the American League East and Central divisions. However, the folks in the MLB scheduling department more than made up for that by giving the team six games against the neighboring Los Angeles Dodgers and a series at Coors Field.

When all is said and done, the Angels are currently projected to finish the 60-game slate at an even .500, which would have them missing the postseason again in 2020. That may be an admirable finish, considering the Angels are currently scheduled to face the toughest strength of schedule in 2020, according to CBS Sports.

As it breaks out right now, the Halos will open their season by visiting the Oakland Athletics on July 24th. They’ll follow that up by returning home for back-to-back series against the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros.

Here is how the Angels schedule breaks out for 2020:

Oakland Athletics (10 games) – .599 winning percentage in 2019

• July 24 through 27th – Away
• August 10 through 12th – Home
• August 21 through 23rd – Away

Seattle Mariners (10 games) – .420 winning percentage in 2019

• July 28 through 30th – Home
• August 4 through 6th – Away
• August 28 through 31st – Home

Houston Astros (10 games) – .660 winning percentage in 2019

• July 31st through August 2nd – Home
• August 24 through 27th – Away
• September 4 through the 6th – Home

Texas Rangers (10 games) – .481 winning percentage in 2019

• August 7 through the 9th – Away
• September 8 through the 10th – Away
• September 18 through the 21st – Home

Los Angeles Dodgers (6 games) – .654 winning percentage in 2019

• August 14 through 16th – Home
• September 25 through 27th – Away

San Francisco Giants (4 games) – .475 winning percentage in 2019

• August 17 through 18th – Home
• August 19 through 20th – Away

San Diego Padres (4 games) – .432 winning percentage in 2019

• September 2 through 3rd – Home
• September 22 through 23rd – Away

Colorado Rockies (3 games) – .438 winning percentage in 2019

• September 11 through 13th – Away

Arizona Diamondbacks (3 games) – .525 winning percentage in 2019

• September 15 through 17th – Home

Of note, the Angels do not begin their interleague schedule until meeting the Dodgers midway through August. They then play 13 of their 20 interleague contests in the season’s final month, including finishing their season on the road against the Padres and Dodgers. Neither is an ideal opponent if the Angels come into the final week of the season needing to secure a win to make the playoffs.

"Angels’ star Mike Trout more deserving of being highest paid athlete than Patrick Mahomes"

What do you think of the Angels chances in 2020? Does the team have a shot to be a surprise contender in a short season?