Angels pitching breakthrough created one dilemma nobody expected

The Los Angeles Angels' 2026 season has not been an exciting one for the fanbase. The Halos have bottomed out in the AL West (once again), and appear ready to sit on their hands at the upcoming MLB trade deadline despite having some really promising assets that could yield a nice return. Sadly, it feels like yet another wasted season in Anaheim.

But on the bright side, one area that's been of major concern to the organization for what seems like a decade-plus has suddenly become somewhat of a strength. The Angels' starting pitching has been much more impressive than anyone could've imagined before the season began.

While the additions of Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah received the most media attention this past offseason, the return of Reid Detmers to the rotation and the rise of rookie hurler Walbert Ureña have been LA's most outstanding performances thus far.

While Angels' Opening Day starter José Soriano has cooled off after a red-hot start to the season, he still has a 3.03 ERA. More recently, Ryan Johnson's scoreless performance is sure to elevate his confidence as well.

Angels must keep Mike Maddux around beyond the 2026 season

And while the players themselves undoubtedly deserve a ton of credit for their performances this season, there's no way to ignore the impact pitching coach Mike Maddux has had on this year's team. While Angels' manager Kurt Suzuki has made some questionable decisions in Year 1 as the Halos' skipper, Maddux appears to have hit it out of the park.

But therein lies a deep concern. How long will Maddux remain with the Angels' organization? I only ask because it seems like a common sentiment among the Angels fanbase (and both local and national media outlets) that Suzuki is working on borrowed time. Both he and general manager Perry Minasian are tied at the hip, with both men's contracts expiring at the end of the season.

So the question then becomes; will Maddux be retained if/ when Suzuki and Minasian are let go? It's a fair question, and unfortunately one that will likely require Angels fans to take a wait-and-see approach. Angels owner Arte Moreno doesn't appear to be in a hurry to move on from either Suzuki or Minasian, and it's very likely he'll allow both of them to play out the remainder of the season.

Losing Maddux would be one of those one-step-forward, two-steps-back scenarios where Angels fans saw improvement for one season only to hit the reset button once again. Here's hoping Maddux and the improvements the Angels' starting staff has made stick around beyond the 2026 season.

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