4 Angels X-factors that can spark a return to contention in 2025

The Angels will tell you that they want to compete in 2025. On paper, they've certainly made upgrades. However, after emerging from a franchise-worst 63-99 record, the Angels' offseason additions aren't nearly enough on their own to vault the team back into contention.

Instead, the Angels will need other factors to break in their favor. They added some nice complementary pieces and improved their depth, but the high-end impact talent is still lacking unless other things break right in the upcoming season.

Fortunately, there are some things internally that can change the Angels' outlook for 2025. These might not be the most realistic scenarios, but the following X-factors are all within the realm of possibility. If they come to fruition, the Halos could find themselves back in contention at last.

1. Mike Trout stays healthy and returns to MVP form

It might seem like forever ago that Mike Trout was the unquestioned best player in baseball. Over the last four seasons, he's averaged just 66.5 games played per season -- with the nadir of his career coming last season where he played just 29 games.

Now entering his age-34 season, the injuries have mounted and Trout can't be counted on to reasonably play the 150+ games he was averaging during his prime. However, the talent is still there. In 2022, the last time he surpassed 100 games in a single season, he crushed 40 long balls while posting a .283/.369/.630 line good for a 176 wRC+ while playing in just 119 games overall.

The Angels might not want to admit that they need Trout to return to MVP form, but given the lack of impact moves they've made this offseason they certainly need him to in order to truly compete. Just like the majority of Trout's career, they've failed to get him the support he needs.

The Halos were 28th in slugging percentage in 2024 while they were without Trout for all but about a month's worth of games, putting up a putrid .369 mark. Jorge Soler will help that number some, but beyond him, the Angels haven't made any real additions that take the burden of correcting this flaw off of Trout's shoulders.

If the Angels can get about 135 games out of Trout at 2022-levels of production they'll be much better off in 2025 than they were last season. That might not be the most likely outcome, but Trout can still perform at those levels if he stays healthy, making him the biggest X-factor on the team.