MLB.com's first power rankings of 2023 predict fourth place finish for the Angels

Earlier this week we saw ESPN project an incredibly average season for the Los Angeles Angels. With a third-place finish and a .500 record, it literally can't get more average than that.

The Angels have a lot of question marks. Can their stars stay healthy? Will their young pitchers continue to develop? Can the bullpen hold up? The answers to these questions will determine just how well the Angels perform in 2023.

MLB.com doesn't like the Angels chances to get back to the postseason in their first power rankings of 2023.

Alyson Footer of MLB.com put together the site's first power rankings of 2023. The results are frustrating.

She has the Astros, unsurprisingly, as the number one team in all of baseball. Even after losing Justin Verlander their rotation is elite and they added Jose Abreu to what was a World Series-winning lineup.

She has the Mariners as the second place team in the division and the number eight team overall. They'd have the first Wild Card spot and a better record than the AL Central winner Guardians who are ranked 12th overall.

Right behind Cleveland is the Texas Rangers who she predicts to just miss the playoffs, as the Blue Jays and Rays get the other two Wild Card spots.

Is Texas really better than the Angels? I get the Angels have question marks but it feels like the Rangers have even more. Jacob deGrom is really going to stay healthy? What about Nathan Eovaldi? Andrew Heaney?

The Angels slide in at 17th overall and the sixth worst team in the AL. Not what we want to see.

We've seen how up and down the Angels can be. After going 27-17 and flying high they collapsed and were out of contention by the deadline. I can see this team finishing anywhere from second to fourth in this crazy division depending on health and performance.

Footer seems to think Texas will have better luck injury-wise than the Angels. I'm not sure I agree there. Regardless, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.