3 former Angels who could make Los Angeles take notice during the 2026 MLB playoffs

The Los Angeles Angels haven’t made the playoffs in more than a decade. For fans of the team, that information is nothing new. But it means that there have been a number of current and former Angels players that have never gotten the chance to experience meaningful baseball in October. But this season, a number of those former Angels will have a chance to leave their mark during the 2026 MLB playoffs.  

The postseason is a whole other beast compared to the regular season. While the 162-game schedule is a war of attrition, the postseason is filled with short and intense battles that can be won or lost by a single player. Even the best players in the league can find themselves shriveling under the pressure of playoff baseball.    

So for the former Angels players who may finally understand what the MLB postseason feels like this year, it will be quite the experience. For Angels fans, it may lead to a whirlwind of emotions regarding players that they have rooted for over the last several seasons. For the Angels’ organization, it could serve as the motivation they need to build a roster good enough to experience the postseason themselves. With a budding minor league system, they might not have to wait too long. 

3 former Angels are in the middle of their first postseason hunt 

The Angels currently sport baseball’s longest postseason drought. It has been 12 years since fans got to watch their team make a run at a World Series title. The Angels were swept in three games by the Kansas City Royals in 2014, so that run didn’t last long. But it’s still been the team’s final memory of what it felt like to play in October. 

For two former Angels, they haven’t even come close to touching the postseason in their entire careers. And for a former Angels’ first-round draft pick, 2026 could be his first shot at the playoffs in years.  

José Soriano

As probably the best player dealt this by the Angels this season, José Soriano could become a key player for the Toronto Blue Jays in the postseason. As the Blue Jays’ likely number two starter, Soriano will have a big say in how far the team can last in October. It would also be his first chance to experience the postseason. Well, that’s if the Blue Jays can get there in the first place. As of Wednesday, there were two games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League.

While Soriano has never been able to recapture his early-season form, he has been a good enough pickup for a team desperately fighting for a playoff spot. The Blue Jays are 6-2 in games started by Soriano this season, so he’s at least put them in position to win. That will be big as they make their final postseason push.    

Jo Adell 

For years, Angels fans clinged to the idea that Jo Adell was figuring things out and ready to become the superstar that he had the potential to become. But as we know now, he was never able to hit that next level. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t a productive player though. Which is why the Cleveland Guardians traded for him at the deadline this season.  

As a team desperate to add more pop to the lineup, Adell has given the Guardians everything that they were looking for. Similar to his time with the Angels, Adell hasn’t transformed into a complete player, but his .742 OPS through 38 games has given the Guardians a realistic shot at taking the AL central.

Adell has hit six home runs while driving in 28 runs in just 142 at-bats for the Guardians. In a short postseason series, his powerful bat could be a tremendous difference maker. No matter what happens though, watching Adell finally get a taste of the playoffs will be bittersweet for Angels fans.     

Randal Grichuk 

As the guy probably most known for being the player taken one pick before Mike Trout, Randal Grichuk has carved out a nice career for himself. With over 1,000 career hits, he’s done well over his 13-year career. But following a tough 2025 season, he looked to be on his way out of the league. 

But since joining the White Sox earlier this season, he has rediscovered his stroke. Grichuk is boasting a slash line of .302/.330/.599 in 91 games for the Southsiders. As a platoon player against LHP, Grichuk is thriving with a .989 OPS. This could make him a very dangerous weapon in the postseason. With the ability to neutralize tough lefties out of the pen, the White Sox could have a major advantage with Grichuk.    

There is one negative against Grichuk though. In 50 career postseason at-bats, he has just nine hits. That’s good for a .180 batting average and an OPS of .572. It’s also been six years since he last made the playoffs with a Major League team.  

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