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LA Angels: 3 pleasant surprises in the 2021 season
The LA Angels have had a plenty disappointing season this year, but it hasn’t been all bad.
The Angels still feature many talented ballplayers, and have found ways to surprise in this league even without Mike Trout.
This team has a lot of fight in them, and still hasn’t given up on playing for Joe Maddon, or themselves.
No. 3 pleasant surprise for the 2021 LA Angels: Raisel Iglesias’ career year
Raisel Iglesias was a big addition for us this past offseason. We knew that, and expected him to perform.
We didn’t, however, expect him to pitch at the level he did. Iglesias was lights out on the mound this year, and had his best season ever.
He has a 2.63 ERA (all stats in this article are as of September 21st), which is just a little over his career-best 2.38. To have a 2.63 in the American League is a huge deal. He also has the highest K/9 rate of his career at 13.3, and it’s not even close to the 12.1 that used to be his best.
He also has the lowest BB/9 rate of his career at 1.7. He’s on pace to breaking his own saves record, only needing two more to tie (he’s currently at 32). Finding ways to perform at this level in his first season in the AL, where it’s harder for closers to pitch, is very impressive.
I mean, he’s perfected his fastball to the point where his peers rank it second in the AL behind only the great Aroldis Chapman’s iconic fastball.
No. 2 pleasant surprise for the 2021 LA Angels: Jared Walsh’s breakout and first All-Star season
Jared Walsh was an absolute monster for the LA Angels this year.
After he showed so much promise in 2020, but was robbed of the recognition due to injuries, Walsh stepped up big-time in 2021.
Walsh stayed healthy for the most part (he’s played in 132 games so far), and has become one of the best defensive first basemen in the Majors. He’s so quick that he has so much range on the corner. Walsh not only proved how valuable he is on defense at first base for us, but even won the All-Star Game for the AL in his defensive abilities in the outfield.
Representing the Angels in the All-Star Game this year was really special for this franchise. He has hit 27 home runs for us this year, in addition to his impeccable defense.
Walsh has a 123 wRC+, and has the second-highest hard hit percentage (37.2%) among full-time starters for the Angels this year behind Shohei Ohtani.
Making just three total errors throughout the season, and being able to play three different positions for us, Walsh is going to be so valuable to this club going forward.
No. 1 pleasant surprise for the 2021 LA Angels: Shohei Ohtani emerging as MVP favorite and Ace
Many LA Angels fans did see Shohei Ohtani having a big year this season, but very few expected this.
Ohtani is having arguably the greatest season in Major League Baseball history. His 7.2 fWAR has him as the AL MVP favorite.
He’s hitting .255/.357/.588 (.945 OPS) with 44 home runs, 94 RBI, and 93 runs scored. It got him the nod to start the All-Star Game as the DH.
He’s also posted a 9-2 record as the Angels Ace, with a 3.28 ERA and a 10.65 K/9 rate. It got him the nod to also start the All-Star Game as the starting pitcher.
He even played seven games in the outfield. He truly can do it all, and not only fulfilled his potential in this league, but surpassed it.
He’s going to earn himself a huge payday maybe as early as even this offseason. Nobody has done what Ohtani has done on both sides of the ball in this game for over a century.
He’s drawn plenty of Base Ruth comparisons, and rightfully so.
Next. 3 pitchers Mickey Callaway ruined
This team disappointed this year, but Ohtani, as well as the other two, kept this season fun to watch.