The Los Angeles Angels and the wrong side of history seem to have collaborated all season. In late May, the Halos held the worst record in MLB at 18-34 after suffering their 34th loss of the season, despite three-time AL MVP Mike Trout having committed his future to the franchise. He played in all the games during which the Angels suffered a record 24 losses in 30 games, a stretch that ended on May 22. It turned out to be the worst 30-game stretch by a team in MLB history. Nearly three months later, the picture has only gotten grimmer.

As far as the fans are concerned, they have traced the franchise’s struggles back to Arte Moreno. They participated in the “Tarps Off” trend and chanted “Sell the Team,” donning black T-shirts and demanding that the owner sell the franchise. Those frustrations only deepened now after the Angels’ 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

“The Angels have now lost 22 games this season when tied or leading entering the 9th inning. That’s the most such losses before September in MLB history,” ESPN Insights wrote on X. 

The Angels were tied 1-1 until the sixth inning, but the Phillies scored four runs late in the game to clinch the series finale, with three of those runs coming in the final two innings. Yusei Kikuchi allowed just two earned runs over seven innings, but relievers Sammy Peralta and Mitch Farris couldn’t maintain the same momentum. Peralta surrendered two earned runs and a walk without striking out a single batter, while Farris allowed one walk and one run with two strikeouts in the final inning. That was Sunday’s story for the Angels.

Yet the night before was even more questionable.

Angels starter Ryan Johnson allowed five walks but managed to give up just one run. Although LA trailed 1-0 until the seventh inning, the team tied the game in the eighth, sending it to extra innings. Trevor Martin pitched well in the eighth and ninth innings, but he ultimately surrendered three runs in the 10th.

Martin made his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on April 20 before the Angels claimed him off waivers in August. This was his first appearance with LA, and he finished with a 6.00 ERA. The Angels immediately optioned the 25-year-old to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Peralta had just 2 appearances with the Colorado Rockies before the LA side roped him in with a minor league contract. But in his 7 games with the Angels, he has managed a 6.75 ERA. Farris, another youngster, has had 27 appearances so far, but he is also struggling with a 4.28 ERA and just 51 strikeouts over 48.1 innings. 

He was demoted to Triple-A earlier in August, but recent struggles have forced the Angels to recall him and LHP Blake Weiman from Salt Lake. Weiman has shown better outings with a 3.00 ERA over 9 innings. Despite all this, though, the manager remains hopeful.

“It’s definitely not good, but at the same time, these guys are resilient,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “After a couple of close losses to Cleveland, we came back out today and had another chance to win. We brought the winning run to the plate. They never give up.”

But it has hardly solved the problems.

In fact, the Angels are almost out of alternatives. That’s why they reinstated Shaun Anderson and C Sebastian Rivero from the injured list, only to eventually option both players. With almost everyone in the bullpen struggling to make an impact, the franchise now has the worst record in the league.

Angels’ struggles go beyond one series

The LA side is tied with the Colorado Rockies at the bottom of MLB with a 52-85 record, and their starters are performing better than relievers. That explains their 4.28 ERA (21st in the league).

But it’s not just their pitchers offering a subpar performance. Their lineup has been equally concerning. The Angels are 27th in the league with a .234 batting average. That’s why, despite their acceptable starting pitching, the team has a -82 run differential. 

Additionally, it’s hard to keep up when the roster is plagued by injuries. They just added George Klassen to the 15-day IL, as the RHP is suffering from left low back inflammation. They expect him to return by September. The 24-year-old had a 3.67 ERA before hitting the IL. 

First baseman Nolan Schanuel, OF Gustavo Campero, and infielder Yoán Moncada are also on the injured list, expected to rejoin the roster next month. 

Then there is Anthony Rendon. 

He has been termed the worst contract of all time for missing 553 games since penning the deal in 2020. To top that, he hasn’t made a single appearance since 2025. 

With all these issues going on, the Angels suffered their second series sweep in a row. They are fifth in the AL West with hardly any chance of making it to October. While fans had little expectation of the team reaching the playoffs, its recent struggles have only added another layer of disappointment.