LA Angels: Halos are getting offensive production from these 2 veterans

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Albert Pujols, Justin Upton, Los Angeles Angels (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

It hasn’t been a perfect start for the Angels (11-11) this season, but one of the positives has been the offense, specifically the production of veterans Justin Upton and Albert Pujols.

Currently the Halos have MLB’s seventh-most runs scored (107), third-most home runs (32), second-highest batting average (.267), third-highest slugging percentage (.440), and third-highest OPS (.763).

It’s no secret a lot of that success comes from Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. The two stars are off to the best starts of their careers and will likely do most of the heavy lifting on offense this season. Anthony Rendon has played two in games in about two weeks coming off an injury, but once he settles in I’m sure he’ll shoulder some of the load as well. The production from those three players is expected, so it doesn’t really come as a surprise.

One player that has turned heads this season has been Jared Walsh. In 85 plate appearances, Walsh is slashing .329/.400/.566 with four home runs and has the team’s second-most RBI (16). The 27-year-old looks like the real deal after his breakout season last summer, and now he’s poised to take the next steps in becoming elite at the major league level.

Albert Pujols and Justin Upton have contributed to the Angels’ offensive success.

This Angels team is full of All-Stars of past and present, two of the former being Upton and Pujols. The veterans are two of the Top-4 highest paid players on the team. Being considerably paid in the backend of their deals is upsetting for some to think about given their lack of production in recent years, but it’s nothing new. This happens a lot with contracts in baseball, it’s not the first time and it certainly won’t be the last.

2021 is looking a little different for both players though, as the duo is off to some of their best starts we have seen in quite some time. If they can consistently provide production this season, there’s no telling how great the Angels offense can be this season.

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