Angels Elimination Number: So you are saying that LA has a chance?

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Angels are not seriously in the running for a playoff spot in 2026. Thanks to a roster that is filled with holes and a previous front office whose failures are too long to list, the Angels never had a realistic shot, and the trade deadline fire sale that interim front office head John Mozeliak made sure that no comeback was in the cards.

None of this is news to Angels fans. Fans have become accustomed to being disappointed and neglected under owner Arte Moreno, although the moves that Mozeliak has made do appear to be moving the franchise in the right direction. No one thought that the Angels were going to make their triumphant return to the postseason in 2026, or at least they didn't think the odds of that happening were good.

That said, figuring out exactly when the Angels will be officially eliminated from the playoffs is pretty tricky this year, especially with the chaotic postseason picture in the American League this season.

Angels are not eliminated from the playoffs, but we are getting close

Figuring out what miraculous course of events has to happen for the Angels to win the AL West is pretty straightforward. As of August 31, they are in last place in the division and 17 games back. It's still technically possible for LA to win the AL West, but one shouldn't bet onit, as the Angels would still need a LOT of help ahead of them in the standings even if they somehow go on a run.

However, the AL Wild Card race is a bit more feasible, although the Angels still face long odds with most of the AL still technically "in it". The Angels' elimination number, or "tragic number" as Sports Magic Numbers calls it, currently sits at 9. In short, any combination of nine or more Angels losses or wins by the next team ahead of them in line for a playoff spot will eliminate LA from the postseason.

If you do the napkin math there, that means we could see the Angels eliminated from the playoffs this week, although next week does seem more likely given the number of other teams in play here. This isn't the season that Angels fans wanted to be sure, but there is at least a little hope that we could be talking about the Angels' magic number (the good one) in the not-too-distant future.

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