2. Los Angeles Angels
Every year, the Los Angeles Angels apply bandages to the roster, hoping that they can finally get back to the postseason. Since their last playoff appearance in 2014, that approach has not worked.
Yet, here we are again, with the Angels signing players to one year contracts in the hope that they can catch lightning in a bottle. Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill were signed to one year deals, with the hope that they can give the rotation the depth it was lacking last year. Another former member of the A’s, Jonathan Lucroy, was given a one year deal to start at catcher. Justin Bour also signed a one year deal to play first, letting Albert Pujols be the designated hitter until Shohei Ohtani returns.
It is that duo of Ohtani and Mike Trout that the Angels offense will need to rely upon. Pujols is a shadow of his former self. Andrelton Simmons has become an excellent contact hitter, but he does not intimidate anyone. Aside from Justin Upton, that Angels do not have much beyond that pairing.
Maybe this will be enough. Perhaps the Angels will get lucky this time, and with the departures in the division, be able to find a way to compete for the postseason. A lot would need to go right for that to happen, but with the AL West having weakened, the Angels might have just enough of an opening.
The definition of insanity involves doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. For the Los Angeles Angels, maybe this time will be different.