The 2024 season for the Los Angeles Angels did not look pretty by virtually any measure. The team’s two highest-paid players making a combined $75.6 million played a combined 86 games. The Halos ranked in the bottom five of batting average, OPS, ERA and WHIP. And they finished with a franchise-record 99 losses to have the fourth-worst record in MLB.
But general manager Perry Minasian earned a two-year contract extension. In part because, for the first time, the Angels have a direction. They were not good in 2024, but it was almost by design, as they finally chose to retool and develop youth instead of piecing together makeshift rosters in the hopes of going on a surprise postseason run.
So as the Angels evaluate what they need to do for 2025, Minasian is ecstatic about the prospect of finally having a young core to build around, via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
“I know this is a tough year,” Minasian said. “It’s a frustrating year for all of us. I’ll be the first one to say that. But big picture, I’m really excited where this thing’s going. I’ve been in situations like this in other organizations where we’ve had tough seasons. But you can usually point to a season where things change, not necessarily in the win-loss column, but where players took huge leaps and caused a jump in wins and a jump to contention. We needed a young core to build around and we finally have it.”
That young core is, most notably, catcher Logan O’Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. But it’s also starting pitchers Jose Soriano and Jack Kochanowicz alongside reliever Ben Joyce. It could even include top prospects Caden Dana and Christian Moore.
Minasian made a solemn vow that with the young core and and an increased payroll for 2025, fans should stick around to see what the Angels can build this offseason.
“For our fans, the ones that have been following us over the last three years and gone through what we’ve gone through, I wouldn’t jump off the bandwagon now,” Minasian said. “This team is going to improve. It’s going to be an exciting team to watch going forward.”
The Angels have pointed to the Kansas City Royals as a blueprint for what they want to achieve with their current core. The Royals lost 97 and 106 games in the last two seasons, respectively, but finished 86-76 in 2024 and earned their first postseason berth since their 2015 World Series win.
Minasian rightfully is getting the chance to see that through after signing his contract extension. And if he’s right, the Angels could be on a faster path to contention than anyone thought possible at various points in 2024.
Ron Washington calls 2024 a year of growth for Angels
Manager Ron Washington understands how difficult the 2024 season was to watch from an outside perspective. In reflecting, he felt the year was one of growth for himself and for the franchise, and that 2025 becomes about accountability to building on the lessons learned during the 99-loss campaign.