3 Angels players who could be the difference between success and failure in 2024

The Los Angeles Angels find themselves in a tough spot. They just won 73 games this past season despite rostering the league MVP. They have since lost that MVP, Shohei Ohtani, after failing to put together a winning season a single time in their six years with him.

Despite obvious signs that they should probably rebuild, the Angels have let it be known that they're going to try and compete. While it's hard to see them doing so with no Ohtani, that doesn't mean it's impossible. The Angels do still have a good amount of talent on the roster, and there's always a good chance they add some more. The only question is how much.

For now, if the Angels do somehow surprise many and win a bunch of games in 2024, these three players will be a big reason why. If they're as bad or even worse than they were in 2023, these three players will be a big reason why. Consider them X-Factors of sort.

1) Mike Trout

Saying that the Angels will go where Mike Trout takes them is fairly obvious, but still needs to be said. Trout showed signs of decline really for the first time this past season, failing to catch up to high-velocity fastballs and seeing his numbers dip. What's most alarming, of course, is his inability to stay on the field.

Trout was mostly healthy for the first half of last season but a fractured hamate bone ended his season prematurely. He tried to return in August while the Angels were fighting but it's clear he wasn't ready, and was immediately shut down again. This is Trout's third straight year missing substantial time and as he gets older, it's hard to see that getting better before it gets worse.

The Angels need Trout more than ever. In recent years they had Ohtani there to carry the lineup when Trout missed time, but now Ohtani is no longer here to save the Angels. When healthy, Trout is the only bonafide star in this lineup and everyone else will need him to function.

Even with his numbers taking a dip this past season, Trout still played like a star. There's no denying he's a star when healthy. The Angels are going to need more than 82 games of his star production if they want to go anywhere in 2024.

2) Carlos Estevez

In the first half, there were few relievers who performed better than Carlos Estevez who was as big of a surprise as any in the 2023 season. The right-hander had a 1.80 ERA in 36 appearances, converting 21 saves without blowing a single opportunity. The Angels were 30-6 when he took the ball. He was lights out and a huge reason they stayed competitive for as long as they did.

The second half was a completely different story for this right-hander who posted a 6.59 ERA in 27 appearances, converting 10 saves in 14 opportunities. Blown saves in August against the Mariners and Giants were highlights of the late-season collapse. Estevez's stuff looked a lot more hittable, and his command disappeared.

Which version of Estevez will we see in 2024? That might be the difference for the Angels. This team won't be good enough to overcome an Estevez who blows save after save. They can, however, surprise people if he's as good as he is in the first half. Probably unlikely, but we've seen him do it before.

While it can be argued that Estevez does not deserve to be the team's closer after what transpired down the stretch, it's unlikely they replace him at least this offseason. It's possible they do so midseason if he struggles, but this feels like his job to lose. It's on him to take it and run for this team to be competitive.