LOS ANGELES — The Angels couldn't have scripted a better opening act to this season, going 27-17 and sitting one game behind the American League West-leading Houston Astros on May 24.
A rejuvenated offense ranked among baseball's top four teams in runs, homers and on-base-plus-slugging percentage through 44 games. A deeper pitching staff ranked seventh in ERA and second in WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched).
Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon were in the lineup together after Trout and Rendon missed most of 2021 because of injuries. The top half of the rotation — Ohtani, Noah Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzen — looked stout, and young left-handers Patrick Sandoval and Reid Detmers showed promise.
