"Never say die" LA Angels could find postseason spot amid New York Yankees' free fall

The Angels are once again refusing to quit on 2025, and are slowly gaining ground in the ever-changing landscape of the American League wild card race. Monday night’s win over the Tampa Bay Rays was a big one for the Angels, as they (albeit temporarily) passed the Tampa Bay Rays in the standings. With one less team in between the Angels and a playoff spot for now, this Halos team continues to inch closer-and-closer to actual postseason hopes.

While many fans were disappointed by the trade deadline and the back-to-back losses to the Chicago White Sox immediately after it, the Angels won two in a row once Mike Trout returned to the lineup. Taylor Ward gave fans yet another clutch moment with his walk-off home run on Sunday, and the 5-1 win Monday shows that this team could start playing good baseball at the perfect time.

Your "Never Say Die" 2025 Los Angeles Angels! 

Still five games back, the Angels still has a lot of ground to gain in the final 49 games of the season. The Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers stand between them and a Wild Card spot -- currently held by the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Seattle Mariners. With three teams to jump before being the next team in, the Angels have to continue playing great baseball...because outside of the Red Sox, every team mentioned above has been playing mediocre baseball as of late. 

The Yankees are a team to keep an eye on. They have been in absolute free fall since Aaron Judge was placed on the injured list. The Mariners and Red Sox seem destined for the postseason barring any injuries, but the Yankees are struggled to stay afloat while the reigning AL MVP recovered from his elbow injury. 

Over the last 50 games, the Yankees have a 21-29 record. Over their last 50 games, the Angels are exactly .500 (25-25 record). That does not exactly scream playoffs either. However, if the deadline additions and some better injury luck play out, there is enough in place to believe the Angels can overtake the Yankees, Rangers, Royals and Guardians.

The fanbase and clubhouse seemingly hinges on every single win and every single loss at this point. The two losses against the White Sox felt like the end of any competitiveness that could come out of 2025. The next two games filled Anaheim back with confidence. If the Angels keep playing good ball and the Yankees’ free fall continues, there could finally be playoff baseball for the Angels once again.

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